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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24134620">The Guiding Light</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshenSparrow/pseuds/AshenSparrow'>AshenSparrow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A/B/O, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Body Horror, Cannibalism, Car Accidents, Chronic Illness, Cloud can be a badass, Cloud can control the weather, Combat, Daddy Angeal, Denial of Feelings, Dyslexic Author, Elemental Magic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Support, F/M, Forbidden Love, I'm Bad At Titles, Lore - Freeform, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mild Blood, Mild Gore, Multi, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, One-Sided Attraction, Panic Attacks, Rejoice Hojo wasn't involved at all, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Tags May Change, Transformation, Worldbuilding, attempts at humor, but also cant, no one understands how ABO works, references to violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:20:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>52,200</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24134620</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshenSparrow/pseuds/AshenSparrow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>All Cloud ever wanted to do was join SOLDIER and help defend the world from the Monster incursion, something called to him to do it. something greater than anything he had felt in his life. but he was an Omega and Omegas were a dying breed, his role had been set before him since birth.<br/>with Alphas are falling to their Bestial Nature. Omegas dropping dead without cause or reason and the land is failing to thrive under the care of its guardians can Cloud find a way to save the world and his friends before they fall? before he succumbs to the affliction that killed his own Omega parents.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Angeal Hewley/Genesis Rhapsodos, Kunsel/Cloud Strife, Rufus Shinra/Tseng, Sephiroth/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair &amp; Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>221</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Omega</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>quick note before we start, I am Dyslexic and lack a proof reader. this is my first story for a while and my first ever for FF7.<br/>i hope that doesn't deter you too much. i did my best to spellcheck and grammar check as i went. I hope you enjoy...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em> Long ago the Ancient ones, either by a catastrophic event, or the simple passage of time returned to the planet; to the rivers under our feet that give life to our world. </em> <em><br/></em> <em> They left their garden in our care. </em> <em><br/></em> <em><br/></em> <em> But we weren’t ready. For many years, people fought for power over the life stream.  They misused it. Our arrogance caused many to suffer and monsters to appear in the world, and eventually , like the ancient’s that came before, we started to fade away, unable to repopulate our world and be its guardians. </em> <em><br/></em> <em><br/></em> <em> The Ancients heard our cries and weeped with us. They used the life stream to give us a second chance. We had to protect our world. Become Soldiers. In exchange they granted the rare few with special powers and designations to help steer us from the chaos we had created. </em> <em><br/></em> <em><br/></em> <em> Betas; the gardeners of our world. The most numerous, rebuilt our homes and tended to the land. They were the peacekeepers, the farmers and the engineers. </em> <em><br/></em> <em><br/></em> <em> Alphas. The soldiers of the Ancient ones, they were uncommon and tall. They watched over the Betas and protected the land from evil. But their nature made them walk a thin line between man and beast. </em> <em><br/></em> <em><br/></em> <em> Finally, the Ancients gave us  the Omega; incredibly rare and beautiful the Omega lead our people towards peace, they calmed the Alpha and nurtured the Beta. It was even said Omegas could tap into the lifestream and listen to the song of the ancients. </em> <em><br/></em> <em><br/></em> <em> Each designation had tremendous power and with it we could care for our world and restore what was lost…<br/><br/></em><br/><br/>....Sephiroth closed the book with great care, careful not to ruin its already breaking leather and yellowed pages. He lent back in his chair and rubbed his eyes before staring out the window.<br/>The book was aimed towards children, fairy tales mixed with facts to make the world they inhabited seem just a touch more magical, it was a stretch that such a book would tell him what he wanted to know. It was a book he had read many times as a child.<br/><br/>It held one true fact that Sephiroth knew; Omegas were rare. In Fact there were roughly only two hundred known in all of Midgar, and they were closely guarded. By either their families or Shinra. Their numbers were dwindling and they were supposedly mostly barren. The ones that did breed were few and to add to the mess only an Omega could Beget an Omega.<br/><br/>Omegas were meant to be the guiding light of the world. They kept Alphas from falling to their more bestial instinct and could heal the land allowing Betas to do their own work. If Omegas went extinct the world would fall back into chaos quickly<br/><br/>The SOLDIER  sighed and rubbed his eyes again. He was desperate however, his time and that of the rest of the world was running out...<br/><br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>                                                                                                                                                                                <br/>The scratching of pen on paper made Cloud wince, it was the only sound in the entire room, which only seemed to add to the silence that floated between the three occupants,<br/>He avoided tapping his foot. Or to stand, or breath even. Cloud waited patiently for his elder brother to finish whatever it was he was doing so they could talk.<br/><br/>The silence continued for an unbearable long time. And Cloud risked a glance at Tseng, who stood at attention at Rufus’ side. Tseng smiled softly at Cloud, encouragingly.<br/>He could do this..<br/><br/>“...No”<br/>Or not. Rufus hadn’t even looked up from his paperwork when he spoke.<br/>“I haven’t even said anything yet” Cloud argued<br/>“You’re speaking now?” still his elder brother didn’t look up  and Cloud sighed<br/><br/>“You don’t even know what I came here for”<br/><br/>“I know exactly why you are here, Dear Brother, you are here for the same reason you have been here every day of the past two years. Honestly, I don’t even know why you bother climbing all those stairs just to get the same answer, you must enjoy having your request denied” the scratching of the pen continued. And Cloud stared at the top of Rufus head, irritably<br/><br/>“I took the elevator actually..” he grumbled sarcastically, Tseng snorted. And that caused Rufus to finally glance up. “Let me join SOLDIER. I have already proven I can do it and I am just as good with a weapon as any Beta or Alpha.-”<br/><br/>“An Omega has no place putting itself in danger. The second you went to the front line to fight monsters everyone around you would be at risk. Every Alpha would be distracted from their duties protecting you, and don’t even get me started on the Fallen. If one of them caught you…” Rufus put his head in his hands “I dread to think…”<br/><br/>Cloud bit his lip. Suddenly feeling guilty but he had to push on “I want to try… I need to, Rufus. Maybe I can find out why Alphas are falling? Or can I heal them? With all the other Omegas locking themselves away-”<br/><br/>“And do you know why they hide?” Rufus interrupted him again, angry this time. A habit that Cloud hated.<br/>“Omegas are dying! You are so few because you are meant to live for a thousand years, or so the legends say, yet not one Omega makes it past three hundred and to make matters worse Omegas aren’t able to breed.<br/><br/>Both our parents were Omega. And in their whole two centuries together they had me, a Beta. and you. Omega. That shouldn’t happen. Then they drop dead. No warning. No sign of aging. Just dead.  Omegas are failing to thrive. Omega couples are unable to produce Omega children like they should.” Rufus sighed and rubbed his temples.<br/><br/>“You are the most important Omega of them all. Our Parents built Neo-Shinra from the ground up. And it's to be passed to you when you are ready. ‘Neo-Shinra Is the pillar of light that will guide us’ thats what they would tell me. You are that light. No one will listen to a Beta long term. I cannot heal the land itself. You can! So I cannot for one second justify putting you out on the front lines, Cloud. Especially with how the Alphas have started to fail now too. We are on the edge of disaster” Rufus has stood and walked to Cloud as he spoke.  Before kneeling beside him.  His voice soften as he drew closer<br/><br/>“I am sorry, little brother. The world needs you.. And I cannot lose you too.. Not after we lost them… you can work in the labs if you want.. You can find other ways to help.. But you cannot fight monsters” he reached a hand up and tilted Clouds chin to look at him. But Cloud snapped away choosing instead to stare at the floor.<br/><br/>Rufus sighed and looked back at Tseng, the other Beta shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. At a loss. Omegas were stubborn creatures when they put their mind to a task. A Cloud had been focused solely on training and fighting since his and Rufus parents had passed away.<br/><br/>“Listen…” Rufus started again, his tone gentle “you’ll be twenty one in a few days.. Your ‘presentation day’ when you announce yourself as an Omega to the world for the first time. That's a pretty big deal. The whole city would be celebrating. And hopefully most of the Omegas will come to the celebration in the tower to meet you.  You might make friends. You might even find someone who you could be with…”  Cloud glanced at Rufus.<br/><br/>“You have so much to look forward to, please Cloud. I know it's been hard since...since our parents passed away.. But -” Cloud didn’t let him finish he was up from his seat in seconds. Rufus had brought their parents up one too many times already to try and dissuade Cloud from what he wanted, no, needed to do.  The younger blond rubbed his eyes with his sleeve and moved away from Rufus.<br/><br/>“You don’t get it.. I can't just.. I need to join SOLDIER!” Cloud said. “I can feel it in here” he clutched his chest “call it the voice of the lifestream or whatever but I know I have to, I don’t know why but I have to” he ran from the room then, unable to take his brother's pitying look. Without the head of Neo-Shinra's say so. Cloud would never be admitted into the Academy.<br/><br/>Rufus tried to call after his brother but it was no use. The Beta sighed again when the doors slammed shut behind his younger brother.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p>                                                                                                                                                        <br/><br/>Cloud ran through the Neo-Shinra tower, he didn’t stop for anyone until he got to his favorite spot. A small alcove near the  emergency stairs on floor 49. You could only get into the area by squeezing past some pipes. He had always hidden here when he was sad or scared as a child and even now as an adult he huddled away. Sobbing.<br/>Cloud hated crying it made his head hurt and his sinus’ block, but worst of all it triggered his powers. He heard thunder and lightning shake the tower as it rolled overhead and the lights flickered with the energy. It was storming outside. On what had previously been a  pleasant day.  Now all of Midgar would know a powerful Omega was upset.<br/>No not just upset. Heartbroken, Cloud realised. He was heartbroken than the one thing he knew he needed to do was being denied him. And once he was ‘presented’ he would have more responsibilities thrust upon him. It would be his job to keep Midgar running, to keep the land healthy. To help the people in the city, and heal the sick. He would have to find another available Omega to marry them and hope he could sire or carry a new generation of Omegas.<br/>He wasn’t even sure if he wanted all that…<br/><br/>After an hour his sobs and quieted to hiccups. But tears still stream from his eyes as curled up against the wall of his hideaway. That's when he heard it. Grunting. Someone struggling<br/>“Hnn.. ah.. Fuck..” he recognised the voice “hey ah-Ow. hey Spike you in here?” Cloud grinned in spite of his tears.  Zack.<br/><br/>Cloud stood up and wiped his eyes. Looking around the corner to the narrow gap to see his friend half stuck between the pipes.<br/>“Hey, bud~” Zack greeted him cheerily. His Alpha pupils,usually dark slits. Expanded to the size of dinner plates when he spotted his close friend. It reminded Cloud of a puppy or kitten.  “Mind hnna..nnha helping me out here.” the Alpha asked<br/>“You have to twist and duck Zack” Cloud said dryly, he had explained it to his friend countless times already<br/><br/>“Easy for you to say! You are.. Ggah.. all small. And bendy. Alphas aren't made for this kinda stuff. You could turn yourself into a pretzel if pressed.” after a few twists and awkward turns later. Zack was free from his pipe trap and standing with Cloud in his hideaway. He wasted no time in pulling Cloud into a bear hug.<br/><br/></p><p>“Hey Zack” Cloud said into his friends chest<br/>“Hey Cloud.. You doing ok?”<br/>“Yea…”<br/>“The torrent that just soaked me and my patrol says otherwise” Zack pulled back and gave Cloud a lopsided grin.  Looking at the Alpha now Cloud could tell Zack was still damp from being in the rain but his hair was drying.<br/>“Sorry..” Cloud mumbled<br/>“Nah-ah, none of that. Wanna tell me what happened?”</p><p><br/>Cloud hesitated shifting his feet, “Rufus.. Denied my request to join SOLDIER again”<br/>After a moment Cloud felt brave enough to look back up at Zack. feeling those cat-like eyes on him. Zack said nothing for a long while studying Cloud before finally sighing and moving to sit on one of the Cushions Cloud had set up in his hideaway.<br/>Zack had never really said anything before about Cloud's attempt to enlist. Besides telling him to follow his dreams when they were younger, and when Zack was still a Cadet himself.<br/><br/>“Well…” Zack started after a long pause “I can't really blame him..”  Zack was choosing his words carefully, Cloud noted.<br/>“You agree with him” he accused<br/>“Well…..yeah.. I mean-” Cloud went to stand up so he could storm away but he was grabbed and dragged back down to sit by Zack “no wait. Let me explain” he pleaded<br/><br/>Cloud relented and allowed himself to be pulled back. Not just to the cushions but to cuddle up against his friend, Alphas always had a need to cuddle him and comfort him like this, Zack and Kunsel were the worst seeking him out for ‘cuddle parties’ as they put it. Even General Angeal, their mentor and his personal tutor would find the time to lean in close or hold him. Especially after his parents passed away.<br/><br/>“At first, when we met. I agreed with you. I thought it was stupid that only Alphas and the very best Betas join SOLDIER. Angeal always told me to follow my dreams, and I wanted you to do the same. An Omega leading the charge against the remnant monsters. It felt like it would be cool, y’know? The final push to clean the world, something out of a movie…” Zack looked up wishfully, and sighed<br/><br/>“Then Alphas started to fall.. And.. Spike its.. So, so different. One day you could be chilling with a buddy, out on patrol, Or something and the next the Alpha you are with... Just.. attacks you. And its different every time so you have no way to tell who will Fall- If they will Fall.” Cloud tensed he had heard the stories before but never from Zack.<br/>“My first commanding officer Fell… he was a sound guy. Had been in SOLDIER most of his life. He was nearly 150 years old. And would joke around with us. It was like having a big brother rather than a commander… then.. One day we entered the training room and he was standing then. His back to us, mumbling…” Zack shuddered “he attacked us. Angeal had to take him out but he took five of my classmates with him”<br/><br/>“He looked normal. But the ones in the wild. The fallen that run instead of just fight. They… change Spike.. They look like monsters and they call other creatures too them and set up lairs. they're not human anymore… you heard about what happened to...My- to General Rhapsodos?”  Cloud tensed against Zacks chest, it was rare he ever spoke about his Father to anyone. <br/><br/>The General had slaughtered twoscore of his men, and then ran off into the wilds. When Angeal and another Alpha General, Sephiroth  finally found him they said he had changed, he had grown wings. Had pulled out his hair his hands had turned to claws and had scratched up his own face, until he was almost unrecognizable.<br/><br/>Rumors had started that Genesis had been breeding with monsters he found in the wilds before he was caught and that the newer flying creatures that would occasionally attack Midgars outer defenses were his deformed offspring.<br/>Other rumors had said that before he had been found he would howl and cry, scream himself hoarse like he was in great morning, and that it could be heard for miles... The Fall of Genesis had had a profound effect on Angeal, they had been lovers, and Zacks parents, After they had been forced to put him down Angeal had pretty much retired from his duty, focusing most on training Zack and Cloud and a select few others. And Sephiroth threw himself into fighting monsters  on the borders of the wastes, he hadn't seen in Midgar for years.<br/><br/>Angeal and Genesis had adopted Zack when he was very young, and, while he referred to them by the rank and Names out of respect in SOLDIER, their bonds were great. Zack played it off most of the time. but Cloud could tell the lose of one of his fathers in such a way cut him deeply, and scared him greatly. <br/><br/>Zack shuddered and continued on “The Fallen never really seem angry or insane. They look.. Broken. Like they are grieving. Like they have lost something important to them- I don’t hate them.. I feel sorry for them.. They were my friends and comrades and something happened to them.- something that.. That could happen to me.. Spike.. And - I’m scared.. I don’t want you to see that. I couldn't bear it if you saw that… if I hurt you…” Cloud could hear Zack crying and he squeezed the Omega closer.<br/><br/>“Alphas are Falling more and more often and no one knows why or how to stop it. That's why Rufus doesn’t want you to Join SOLDIER. Its why.. I don’t want you too either...I’m sorry Cloud”<br/>Zack was crying fully and Cloud looked up at him finally, the empathic Omega started to well up as well. Large tears forming in his eyes.<br/><br/>“No - Spike no not again. Midgar is still recovering from the last one, people will drown!” Zack laughed through his own tears and wiped Clouds eyes with his thumb.  With Zacks laughing, Cloud couldn’t help but chuckle too.<br/><br/>“Im sorry” Cloud said finally, “I didn’t realise thats how you felt… I.. still want to fight… but-”<br/>Zack shushed him “don’t worry about it. Ang and I will still train with you. We will find a way for you to fight don’t worry”<br/><br/>They sat silently, cuddled up in Clouds hideaway for nearly an hour, Zack ran his fingers through Clouds hair lovingly, coursing the Omega to purr.<br/>Cloud had a lot to think about now. Rufus shielded him, or at least tried to shield him from the worst of what was happening in the world. But seeing Zack raw emotions. It shook the Omega greatly.<br/><br/>Omegas weren’t able to breed anymore. And with the decline in Omegas to supervise and calm the Alphas, Alphas were falling into Madness. Eventually there wouldn’t be enough Omegas to keep the land alive and betas will be unable to work it. Everything would fall apart and the world would be back to how it was before these designations were created by the Ancients.<br/>Where were they going wrong? It seems like everyone was fulfilling their duty as best as they could. Infact, Society was prospering,  the growth of plant life and farmsteads in the  barren lands had stalled only because Alphas that were defending the Betas working on it started to Fall.<br/><br/>The whole idea of them failing as guardians of Gaia frightened Cloud, mostly because it would soon be his job to find out why it was happening, his parents had been the ruling Omegas, as had his father's Parents. All the way since before the great Calamity that caused their world to begin to die. As Cloud ages, He would have the most power over the land; To make it fertile again, and to keep it healthy. He would be able to heal the wounded without the use of Materia, he caused it to rain when he cried but his mother could make it rain on command. That, one day, would be his power too.<br/><br/>Cloud shuddered,he would outlive all his friends and his brother too. Omegas could supposedly live for a thousand years. Alphas could live for three hundred if they played it safe. Betas only lived for one hundred and fifty years max. Rufus was nearly sixty.<br/>That's if their world didn't collapse first, or he suddenly dropped dead like his parents and other Omega. Cloud was pulled from his thoughts when Zack gently pressed his thumb to his face, rubbing under his nose<br/><br/>“You’re bleeding,” he commented softly.  Cloud instinctively wiped his face on his sleeve and saw the specks of blood from a nosebleed, he got them when he worried too much.<br/><br/>“Sorry, its the stress” he said slightly embarrassed<br/><br/>“ makes your brain melt? Don’t worry about it as long as you're o; you are ok right?….It's your birthday in a few days, isn't it?” Zack asked, Cloud nodded<br/><br/>“Yep I’m fine. And yea... I am to be presented to the masses and announce my Omega-hood. Then I meet other Omegas, then a party- I asked Rufus for the party. I’d die of boredom if it was just meetings and pomp.” Zack laughed at Clouds comment<br/><br/>“Good. we could use a good party. Maybe we could get Ang to dance.”<br/><br/>“He would never get drunk enough” It was Clouds turn to laugh.<br/><br/>“That sounds like a challenge, I am up for it. That will be my present to you. Drunk Angeal” Cloud couldn't help but laugh harder at that idea. And he snuggled up closer to Zack.<br/><br/>“Thank you, Zack… I needed this” he spoke softly. Zack cooed and purred at the Omega approval. They sat silently again for a long while, just enjoying the time together.<br/>Until, finally, Tseng poked his head through the gap in the pipes informing Cloud it was time to eat. It took both of them to help Zack out of the alcove.<br/><br/></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Alpha</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>“We rest here men!” the collective sigh of relief Sephiroth heard when he gave the order brought a small grin to his usually stern features. He looked back to his troops. They had already started to set up camp. The wounded had been set down in a sheltered area between the jagged rocks.  The dead, the ones they had managed to find and collect, were respectfully set aside in another part of the  small canyon with a few guards to prevent buzzards from picking at them.<br/><br/>Tensions were high, Sephiroth could see from his vantage point as he looked at the men and women that followed him, the Betas had all moved to one part of the canyon, by the wounded, protectively, And they watched the Alphas, who were trying their best to set up camp on the other side. They were all jumpy, observing one another. Itchy trigger fingers on guns and sword hilts.<br/><br/>They had reason to be this nervous. Another of their Unit had Fallen.<br/>Their convoy was on their way back to Midgar  from a deeper part of the Barren Lands, near Kalm; they had already taken a beating from a larger nest of monsters that had ravaged the small town then one of their  Medical officers, an alpha, Fell.<br/><br/>This time it was sudden, the Medic had been fine, and showed no signs that he was ill, or struggling internally. he was Dealing with the wounded that had been put into the forward most trucks of their convoy, the rest of the Unit watched in horror as the vehicle started to drift and then  did a sharp left turn cartwheeling into a ditch, bodies went flying. <br/>When Sephiroth and his men made it to the wreckage they saw the Medic, sobbing, while he ate one of the surviving wounded men; The Beta he was chewing on looked up at the rest of the Unit and begged them to end it.<br/>it was horrifying to witness and more than a few of Sephiroths men blanched <br/><br/>Sephiroth dealt the killing blow to both of them, thr medic, Nero didn't even put up a fight he was so focused on chewing on the intestines of his victim but Before the group could process the enormity of what had happened. Monsters attracted to the smell of death and a Fallen Alpha charged in, and the ensuing fight was brutal.<br/>In the end they lost the remaining Vehicles, and the fissure of mistrust between the Betas and Alphas only grew.<br/>His men needed to rest, to breath, Sephiroth knew this, and as much as he loathed the idea, he had to report back to Midgar  and Lazard, they had lost too many Alphas already and were making no headway in their quest.<br/><br/>Sephiroth turned back to Midgar with a sigh, and watched the clouds roll over the city.<br/>It was raining, He hoped it wouldn't pass over his Unit as well, a storm would only add to the misery and make their trek back longer than the day and a half he estimated<br/><br/>“General, sir”  Sephiroth turned to his subordinate<br/>“Report”<br/>“Sir, we have scouted the area, and found no sign of any monster activity.” Officer spoke quickly and concise<br/>“Radio signals appear to be malfunctioning however, so while we are in range of Midgar for communication, we cannot, as of yet, get in contact”<br/>Sephiroth looked back toward Midgar and Hummed thoughtfully, it must be the storm.<br/>“Very good. inform me when contact has been established, anything else?”<br/>The Officer hesitated, and glanced back down the hill to the camp.<br/><br/>“Sir, if I may speak freely?” he asked carefully. Sephiroth nodded, the Officer removed his helmet. He was a Beta; they looked closest to what Humanity originally looked like; However, with slightly pointed ears. And brighter eyes.<br/>Between the three Designations Alphas appeared the most physically changed. With their cat-like eyes, fangs, greater reflexes and a taller, muscular stature, Sephiroth stood head and shoulders taller than the officer before him.<br/><br/>“Granted” Sephiroth spoke softly in order to calm the nervous man before him<br/>“Thank you Sir.” the Officer breathed his held breath “Sir, I am concerned about the rising tensions between the men. Medical Officer Nero was a friend to many of us, and he helped calm many of the Betas during the first few Fallen incidents, including myself. With his Fall trust between the Beta and Alpha divisions has collapsed  almost entirely. I am... Unsure what exactly to do. But I fear for rising hostilities. If a fight were to break out now. No matter how small, I am afraid it will escalate”<br/><br/>Sephiroth nodded, the Officer was correct, not only could Sephiroth see the Tension. He could smell it too. It was like bile, and metallic  blood in the back of his throat.<br/><br/>“Thank you for telling me. I appreciate the honesty” Sephiroth said with a tilt of his head. “Our goal is Midgar. Once there I plan to have every man attend a psych evaluation, and will petition for Lazard to give everyone at least a month's leave to recover..” the Officer smiled broadly at his General<br/><br/>“As for our current situation. I leave it to you to help ease the tensions within the Beta ranks. While I focus on the Alpha. Between us I believe we can smooth over the cracks at least enough to ease the rest of our trips.I believe in you, I trust your judgement, Officer Coral.”<br/>Saying the Officers name had the desired effect, Sephiroth knew how revered he was, simply knowing another SOLDIERS name, let alone his telling them he believed in them was a strong motivator. One Sephiroth used it effectively.<br/><br/>Officer Coral grinned and saluted his commander. “Thank you sir, I won't let you down”<br/>Sephiroth nodded again, and looked back to Midgar, the storm had cleared as quickly as it appeared over the city.<br/>“Check the radio, I assume it will be working now” he said without looking back to Coral.<br/>The Officer ran off with another salute to Sephiroth<br/><br/>That storm, it was Omega made. He was sure of it. There were very few Omega that could make it rain like that. And with such force it would block all communication towers. Had it been intentional? Sephiroth went back in his memory and could only remember one such Omega having power of that strength.<br/><br/>Claudia Shinra-Strife.<br/><br/>Sephiroth remembered  the day when she went into labor with her second child, he remembered the whole of Midgar had pretty much drowned in her rain. And the clouds had hung densely and low. blocking the view from the Neo-Shinra tower-<br/>But The rainbow that had appeared after the birth had been one of the most beautiful Sephiroth had ever seen. it was imprinted in his memory, and it warmed his heart to recall it.<br/><br/>With another tired sigh Sephiroth turned back to his men. It would be a long day.<br/>He walked back down to the small canyon and approached the Alpha group as they sat, quietly around a fire.<br/>A dozen cat eyes watched him intently as he made his approach and all talking stopped. A few men made to stand up but Sephiroth put his hand up.<br/>“At ease.” he said as he took a seat by the fire. He let the silent continue a moment longer as his men relaxed.<br/><br/>“I know you are all scared” his words were soft. “We lost good people on this mission. Both Alpha, and Beta. felled by Monster… and Fallen.” The air around him stilled as the men tensed at the word. “I don’t know what causes us to Fall. but I will not let it happen to any more of you. You are good men and women. You are SOLDIER’s. Not Monsters. You're not broken. And you are all going home.”<br/><br/>“The Betas fear us” one woman said as she huddled by the fire. “And i'm scared I’ll hurt them”<br/><br/>“You won’t hurt them. Because you won't Fall” he looked around the group “none of us will Fall. I will not allow it.” Sephiroth stood again<br/>“You are the Vanguard of Gaia. Alphas live and die to protect the world. The Betas do not fear you. They fear this evil that is attacking us. So.. what shell do we do?”<br/><br/>There was hesitation in the group before one  man stood up<br/>“We fight it. And protect the Betas” Sephiroth nodded, Smiling. Slowly one after another the Alphas stood. Declaring how they would fight the Shadow that caused the Fallen and fight monsters. It was easy to motivate Alphas, just point them at something to fight and they were full of energy. No Alpha doubted its skill in battle. Or doubted its brothers in arms.<br/><br/>By the end Sephiroth was grinning and he looked over to Coral who was grinning too. The Betas around him excitedly cheering about what they would eat that night, and the next night.<br/>It was a job well done for both of them, and the General felt like he could relax. He left the groups to mingle back together. Friends that had avoided one another hugged, food was being prepared.<br/><br/>The moment of peace for Sephiroth was short lived however. The moment he turned a corner for some privacy he felt a sharp pulse in his chest. Like a palpitation. His heart thumped irregularly, he could hear it louder than the boisterousness behind him. Sephiroth clutched his chest. And his eyes struggled to remain focused. Cat-like slits expanding and retracting continuously. But then it was over, and he  was able to suck in his breath with a pained gasp.<br/><br/>It took several moments for Sephiroth to calm himself. That had been the second attack that month. He looked at his shaking, twitching hand that had been at his chest and sighed.<br/>He was running out of time.<br/><br/>“Sir?”<br/>“Yes Coral?”<br/>“Sir, we have the radio working” the officer said behind him.<br/>“Good. did they say what caused the outage?” he asked as he turned back to look at his subordinate<br/>“No sir… are… you okay, sir?”  Coral asked nervously<br/>Sephiroth smiled softly and politely said “I am fine, I've been suffering from a headache since this morning. I just needed a moment, thank you for asking”<br/>Sephiroth followed Coral back to the radio. Their conversion continued on.<br/><br/>The single black father that fluttered past remained unnoticed by either of them.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>“This isn’t going to work”<br/>“It will so, totally, work”<br/>“You’ll be kicked from SOLDIER”<br/>“I consider that a worthy risk to take”<br/>“A foolish risk”<br/>“Yet you are interested otherwise you wouldn’t still be here.”<br/>“Hmph”<br/><br/>Kunsel sat back on the couch watching the back and forth between his commanding officer and his friend. unsure with whom he actually agreed with on the matter, He bit into his apple.<br/>Zack had been pestering Angeal all afternoon about his grand plan.<br/>“All we need is an extra Uniform and an easy patrol” Zack was pacing the small living area, his excited planning preventing him from sitting down and eating his lunch.<br/>Kunsel wondered if he could steal half of his sandwich without Zack noticing..<br/><br/>“The Uniform would have to be altered heavily to fit. And you won't get Lazard to agree to give you an ‘easy patrol’” Angeal crossed his arms over his chest and sat back in his own chair.<br/>“But that's where you come in Ang, butter him up a little. And I know for a fact  that you can sew, am I right Sel?” Zack looked at Kunsel  for confirmation <br/><br/>Kunsel shook his head “I refuse to be party to this”<br/>“Too late you’re an accomplice”  Kunsel sneered at Zack who just blew a raspberry back, screw it, He was having that sandwich, he grabbed it from right under Zacks nose and stuffed the entire thing in his mouth. <br/>Zack looked unbothered though, and turned back to their Mentor<br/><br/>“Please Ang! You saw the storm. Clouds heart broken. Just one patrol, Rufus would never know-” Angeal raised an eyebrow and  Zack shifted his stance awkwardly while he was under his Fathers unblinking and judging gaze<br/>“-probably...look I don't care I just want to help Spike! please Ang! Pretty please! i’ll do anything! I’ll  even clean your sword”<br/><br/>“I’d never let you touch my sword” Zack mock gasped,  Kunsel snorted.<br/>“Fine.. I’ll- I’ll… sign off on my reports for this month”<br/>“You haven't been signing your reports!" for the first time Angeal raised his voice and Zack hesitated, his eyes darting from Angeal to Kunsel and back.<br/>"...yes?"  Zack said after a long moment<br/><br/>Angeal clicked his tongue against his teeth his eyes narrowing, before he released an almighty defeated sigh<br/> "you know What.. just.. Fine. go. Bring me a small infantry Uniform and a coffee, just, leave”  Zack jumped up and down and hugged Angeal. Thanking him repeatedly and ran off<br/><br/>After a few moments Angeal turned to look at Kensel.<br/>“You’re going on that patrol too, y’know. Report back to me if anything happens. I help. but <br/>You and Zack had better keep Cloud safe.or there will be hell to pay”<br/>Kunsel swallowed the sandwich slowly and nodded.<br/><br/><br/><br/></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I was channeling Brooklyn 99 heavily for the last scene. I apologize for such a short chapter this go around. next one will be longer. and the pace will hopefully pick up.<br/>i hope you enjoyed reading.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Its all Fun and Games...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Are you sure this will work?” Cloud asked as the helmet was placed on his head. It slipped to the side and down his face.<br/>Zack snorted like that had been a stupid thing to ask and tried to correct the helmet.<br/>“Of course, Spike. Have I ever let you down?”<br/><br/>Cloud had to think hard on that one; Zack had been a loyal friend for many years, Dutiful and kind. And always ready to have fun or had a plan to two up his sleeve. He had been the reason Angeal agreed to train Cloud in the first place after Zack was caught training the Omega in secret.<br/>“Hmmm.. you ate my lunch once,” Cloud said after a long moment. Zack chuckled and stood back inspecting his work. The helmet slipped again but not as much.<br/><br/>“You shouldn't steal food Zack” Angeal commented from where he was knelt behind Cloud. He was putting the finishing touches on his Uniform, clinching the outfit around Cloud slim frame.<br/><br/>“We both watched Kunsel eat my entire sandwich whole, two days ago. And you said nothing then” Zack remarked as he once again tried to fix Cloud's helmet.<br/><br/>“Thats different... I like Kunsel.” Zack gasped at Angeals admission, Cloud giggled. Angeal was unperturbed and continued “Almost done here. Could you turn around Cloud so I can see if it fits right?”<br/><br/>“Yes sir.” Cloud did as asked “so what exactly is the plan? I'm confused” he looked over his shoulder to Zack. who had stood back to view their work<br/><br/>The Alpha clapped his hands together “So!” he started excitedly “Angeal was able to pull some strings. And got me a pretty easy patrol route. Around the edge of the sector 7 gardens”<br/><br/>“Under the plate?”<br/><br/>“Yep! Kunsel and I need to check the walls. Make our presents known to the Betas working down there. Motivate them. keep contact with the local guard. Maybe kill a few monsters that could sneak in. it's all very routine”  Cloud nodded along as Zack spoke.<br/><br/>“Well we thought it would be easy anyway, turns out there are rumors of some weird shenanigans afoot so Angeal with his century long tactical knowhow thought it best to suggest to the higher ups that we brought a local, no name, Beta, infantryman with us. Someone who knows the area. Someone who knows where to get the information we need about said shenanigans.” Zack grinned<br/><br/>Cloud looked down at Angeal from under his Helmet and the General smiled up at him softly, Cloud looked back to Zack<br/>“But I’ve never been to the Sector 7 Gardens…”<br/><br/><br/>Angeal chuckled “that's only the cover, kid, don’t worry about”  Cloud blushed from under his helmet and nodded.<br/><br/>“Yep. thats what will be on all the records and paperwork.” Zack continued “it will be an easy job, you get to taste what the very basics of SOLDIER life is like. Maybe, if we are lucky you can wet your blade on a few easy monsters, Wererats and the like. You also get to meet some folk you might not normally get too.” Cloud grinned at Zack. That sounded like a good idea. And it would be easy, he would have his friends with him. It would be fun.<br/><br/>“They also get to meet you. We cannot hide that you are Omega. Perfumes will only work so well, and your scent is strong. Perhaps it will do some people good to see an Omega walking the streets. helping people. No one would question it. Not in the gardens”  Angeal spoke and stood with a grunt as his knees clicked.  He stood back and looked at Cloud up and down. They had gotten the smallest size uniform they could find but it still needed to be taken in heavily around the middle, and the pants needed to be pinned up. But the get up worked. Cloud looked like he could be any other man in Uniform. If a little slighter.<br/>Then the helmet slipped again and Angeal chuckled stepping forward again to fix it.<br/><br/>“There is a nice bar down there, run by a few friends of mine. We can pop in after our patrol is done for a drink. It's also common  practice to stay the night at a local inn if you wanted too. Then tomorrow we come back up. You get dressed up for your presentation day and no one will ever know.”<br/><br/>Angeal glared at Zack “you said nothing about going to a bar before” Zack looked sheepish<br/>“Well it is his birthday tomorrow. I thought it would be nice to have our own private thing. Without the Shinra Pomp. y’know”<br/><br/>Cloud turned back to Zack excitedly “really? That would be amazing!” he turned back to Angeal “Sir. can I stay out and go to the bar after patrol?” Angeal stared at his son and Cloud.  He cared for them both dearly, It made his heart melt to see them together, Growing together. <br/><br/>Angeal sighed defeatedly. “Fine. but be safe. Keep an eye on him Zack, and keep me updated.” he looked back at Cloud “this is important. You have to do exactly as Zackary tells you. No wandering off you understand?” Cloud nodded solemnly, Cloud was twenty but Angeal still had a way of making him feel like he was ten, and not in a bad way either. It was comforting.<br/>Angeal smiled and bent low he removed the Helmet so he could look Cloud in the eye. Gently bumping his forehead against Clouds, and holding him there. When he pulled away he gave the top of Clouds head a gentle kiss and placed the helmet back on perfectly.<br/><br/>“Not only do you follow Zack because he is your friend but because,…” Angeal cleared his throat “-Cadet Strife, he is your superior officer.” Cloud hesitated. Still blown away by the gentleness Angeal had shown him “well?”<br/><br/>“Ah.. Sir, Yes, sir” Cloud jumped to attention.<br/><br/>“Louder”<br/><br/>“SIR, YES, SIR”<br/><br/>“Good Cadet. At ease” Cloud relaxed his stance.  And looked back at Zack who gave him a thumbs up.  “Go on now. Off with you both you have a job to do” Angeal finished<br/>Instead of following his order however Cloud ran forward. And wrapped his arms around Angeals middle.<br/><br/>“Thank you…” he said. Outside it began to rain softly but the sun remained shining. Cloud stepped back  and saluted Angeal then ran off to catch Zack.<br/><br/>Angeal smiled after him, and sighed. “I  hope you can see them  where you are Gen. you would be proud of our Zack”<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Cloud marched a little behind Zack, he was excited and could barely keep the grin from his face. Others might be able to tell he was Omega but the freedom the uniform and helmet gave him was incredible. He wasn’t the Omega of Neo-Shinra anymore. He was just an infantryman. Following orders dutifully. No one spared him a second glance.<br/><br/>Zack led them to the lobby where Kunsel was waiting for them.<br/>“Yo Zack. good timing there is a truck waiting for us in the lot,-hmm?...” Kunsel lifted his own helmet. To get a better look at Cloud. The Omega froze where he stood while Kunsels green eyes looked him up and down. The SOLDIER winked at Cloud<br/>“So this is the kid General Angeal picked to guide us. Looks like a runt to me” Kunsel grinned at Zack then looked back to Cloud “well Cadet, think you can handle monsters and mayhem?”<br/><br/>“Ah.. yes sir”<br/><br/>“Ooh Sir~… he called me Sir, Zack, I like him already” He snickered, Zack shook his head<br/><br/>“Quit teasing him, Sel. you’ll scare him half to death before we even leave the building” Despite his protest, Zack was smiling along  and nudged Cloud playfully.<br/>Cloud had almost forgotten that Kunsel knew who he was and panicked. Eventually he was able to smile and laugh along with his friends. His nerves only slightly fried<br/><br/>“Anyway. We aren't taking a truck down there. I think a train will be best today” Zack looked to Cloud. “What do you think ,Spike?”<br/>Cloud had never been on a train before. It was always a fancy car or Limo. The idea excited him. Zack must have been able to tell.<br/>“That settles it. We are taking the train.”<br/><br/><br/>Kunsel nodded  “Off to the Sector 7 gardens we go~” he chirped happily. He put his hand up to high five Zack, when it was returned he moved to high five Cloud.<br/>The omega hesitated before jumping up to reach the Alphas raised hand with his own.<br/>This was going to be the best day ever.<br/><br/>The Train ride was more nerve wracking than Cloud had first anticipated, exciting, but nerve wracking. It was rush hour in Midgar, the trains were packed the streets and roads crowded with people and things. It was hard not to get distracted and overwhelmed.<br/><br/>But when they got on the Train to go down to sector 7, Zack and Kunsel crowded Cloud into a corner seat.  Blocking anyone else from even seeing him with their larger frames, to cap it off the exuded Alpha pheromones in waves. A clear sign to anyone to back up.<br/>Being caught between them Cloud felt like choking on the smell and taste of it. it annoyed him greatly. He wanted them both to calm down, At one point he shoved against Zack, but the Alpha hardly noticed, only glancing back with narrow cat eyes and growled.<br/><br/>By the time the train pulled into the station the section of train they were in was virtually empty bar the three of them. The second the doors opened both Alphas let out a sigh and relaxed the scent dissipating around them. Cloud pushed past them both in a huff and exited the train, Breathing in the fresh air gratefully.<br/><br/>“What the hell was that about?” he said after a few breaths and turned back to the two Alphas that were exiting the Train.<br/>“Sorry, Spike. We could tell you were nervous, and instinct took over” Zack looked sheepish and scratched his head “I didn’t mean to growl at you”<br/>“I'm sorry too Cloud it won't happen again” Kunsel added<br/><br/>“It had better not. Remember why we are here. I don’t need protecting. I’m on duty and we have a job to do” Cloud grumbled and tapped his Helmet to remind them.<br/>The Alphas stared at one another then back to Cloud and grinned<br/><br/>“The Infantryman is taking charge?” Kunsel said.<br/>“Well, in that case, - Cadet, what do we do first?” Zack added, they were both grinning but there wasn’t any sign of mocking in their tone Cloud could see there was an air of playfulness and Cloud knew if he did anything wrong Zack would step in and take control back, but now he had given it over. Cloud felt empowered.<br/><br/>Cloud sucked in his breath and nodded.<br/>“We need to start our Patrol of the area-” he started<br/>“Where?” Zack asked bluntly. Cloud thought for a moment.<br/>“Ok... let's head further into town instead. Ask the Locals if they have noticed anything out of the ordinary.. Maybe there is a noticeboard? We start there and work outwards. It would be better than just walking aimlessly…” Cloud looked to Zack for support. And got a wink and a thumbs up in response.<br/>“Right on, Spike. SOLDIER would waste too much time and manpower if we just walked the whole perimeter of Midgar. In each Sector we go to the Locals first, make our presence known, and they tell us if anything is up. Word spreads pretty fast, if anyone has any information they come to us.” he explained to Cloud.<br/><br/>“If we are shown a hole in the walls, we report it back to HQ and wait for more men to arrive so we can do a more thorough sweep.  The same with any monsters. Deal with them, tag them and look for signs of any others. If they are alone we simply mark it down. But if there is a sign of a nest forming…” Kunsel  waited to allow Cloud to finish his explanation.<br/><br/>“..we… report back to HQ, and wait for backup. Don’t take any action on a nest, as we can never know exactly what's inside it”<br/>Both SOLDIERS nodded. And clapped Cloud on his shoulders.<br/><br/>“Well done Spike.” Zack said with another wink. “OK! That's the end of that lesson. Now let's look for the juicy stuff!”<br/><br/>They followed the main road into sector 7, they took it slowly, as Cloud was distracted by everything he saw. Old buildings and trains had been repurposed into Greenhouses as far as the eye could see. For miles.trees and plants made the air smell sweet, and everywhere he looked Betas were hard at work. Transporting plant life or other goods. Cultivating saplings, feeding animals. Cloud had heard in his lessons how important these gardens were;<br/><br/>Plants were cultivated in several sectors of Midgar. Sector 7, 5, 4 and 2  had been transformed into massive greenhouses. Or had hundreds of smaller ones inside them. Sectors 4 and 2 grew produce for the City, primarily for the people under the plates.<br/>While 7 and 5 grew all kinds of wildlife. Flora and fauna, the product grown in these sectors, were transported out to the Barrens or Wastes for the world restoration projects. Some even sold around the world for their own restoration.<br/><br/>Looking up Cloud could see the plates. Apparently they were originally masses of concrete and metal. But nowadays it was a marvel of thick Mythril and titanium glass. Not all of it clear so the people on the plates were not scared out of their minds everytime they walked to work. But enough of it was so sunlight could pass through. It acted as one giant greenhouse, it warmed the surface sectors. Making them almost tropical. Neo-Shinra created many wells and rivers to help keep people and things cooler, and Buildings were painted white.<br/><br/>A lot of people came from around the world to holiday in Midgar because of it, It was a veritable paradise. And to think it was all built on top of ruins...<br/><br/>“Keep up Spike” Zack called after Cloud. the Omega ran to catch up with his friends.<br/>They made it to the central market, and Zack and Kunsel set to work. Asking at the town watch and checking the notice boards. Cloud followed and listened closely, but as an Infantryman he was allowed a little more freedom to look around. He was mostly ignored.<br/>The largest building in the town appeared to be a bar. ‘Seventh heaven’ was written in massive letters on a billboard atop the building.<br/>“Aah there she is” Zack came up behind Cloud. And lent against him over his shoulders with casual intimacy. “The best bar in all of Midgar. Once we are done we will head in for a drink. I called a head this morning, they know you’re coming Spike”<br/><br/>“They know I'm.-” Cloud looked around and lowered his voice “-i'm Omega? Zack we were meant to try and be as discreet as we could,” Zack waved him off dismissively,<br/><br/>“They know I am coming with a friend; A Friend who happens to be turning twenty-one tomorrow and wants to celebrate. Nothing more.” Zack explained with his usual laid back attitude. Cloud relaxed, they stood there for a moment, letting the world rush around them and enjoying the companionable moment.<br/><br/>“Hey Guys! I got something!” Kunsel ran up to the pair excitedly. “There are reports of a monster around the south west of the sector.From what I can tell it's a small one. Been going through garbage stealing chickens and baby chocobos-”<br/><br/>“It's eating Chocobos?!” Cloud looked  mortified, Zack rubbed his shoulder comfortingly<br/>“Any idea what it is?” Zack asked.<br/><br/>“By the description it's a Sahagin. a young one, Must have come up from the sewers, or maybe swam up the river, which means there could be a grate in the walls with a Sahagin shaped hole in it. Thankfully, it appears there is only one” Kunsel looked to Cloud “not to worry, bud, one of those would be easy for the three of us”<br/><br/>Cloud nodded along as Kunsel explained what he had found out. He felt excitement and anger building. He couldn't abide any creature attacking Chocobo. Especially monsters. Chocobos were majestic, intelligent creatures.<br/>He tried to listen while Zack and Kunsel formulated a plan of attack. A few words went over his head. But ultimately Cloud got the gist;<br/><br/>They would find its tracks and Kunsel would draw its attention and lead it to Zack and Cloud. The two Alphas would draw most of the attacks. Cloud had to stay back and only attack if he saw an opening.  The plan was for Cloud to get the last hit if possible. It was a good plan.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>The trail had been tricky to pick up.  the Sahagin seemed to have a pattern, it never strayed too far into the town. And hit the same five farms. And yet they couldn't get a proper lead on its most recent trail<br/>“Are they nocturnal?” Cloud asked absently as Zack led their group down the same few allies. He was sure that the footprints they had found this time were recent.<br/>Kunsel answered “they don’t like sunlight, prefer damp cool places. But they aren't nocturnal. It's probably just using the sewers to get around.”<br/><br/>“There <em> are </em>   footprints in the dirt though. It's around here someplace.” Zack called back behind him<br/><br/>“Maybe we should look in the sewer?” Cloud suggested to Kunsel who was keeping pace with the Omega while Zack marched ahead<br/><br/>“Maybe, but Zack doesn't want to” the SOLDIER answered<br/><br/>“Why not?”<br/><br/>“Alpha sense of smell. It's the middle of the day, it's hot. Its gonna reek and Zacks a baby”<br/><br/>“I heard that!” the lead Alpha called back again.<br/><br/>Kunsel chuckled “if we can find its most recent hang out topside we can just jump into the nearest sewer drain from there.- at least that's the hope. Sahagin are creatures of habit. And usually form packs. This one is alone. So theoretically it wont stray too far from wherever it's made its home”<br/><br/>Cloud thought for a long moment, his pace slowing enough for Kunsel to notice and slow too,<br/>“It must be lonely..” Cloud spoke softly, but Kunsel just shook his head<br/><br/>“Don’t  try empathizing with it. It's a monster. Sahagin starts with pets and livestock. And move on to hunting children quickly. If it was a pack of ‘em we’d have already called in reinforcements to help block the sewers. And prevent any escaping. They are malicious and cunning” he explained<br/><br/>“Yeah, I just-” Kunsels eyes narrowed as Cloud spoke but the blond hesitated and shook his head “I don't know..”<br/><br/>Kunsel sighed and turned away. Zack has  just walked around a corner oblivious that his companions had stopped. ”...it must be tough, being the only Omega in the Tower.” he spoke softly.<br/><br/>“No one who can share your experiences, or tell you what you are feeling is normal. I’ve known you for years, and I still couldn't tell you the first thing about Omegas besides you’re endangered and magic without Materia.” Kunsels words hit Cloud like a train. No one had ever spoken to him like that. Or brought it up. The Alpha was right of course, Cloud knew no other Omega, especially after his parents died. He only had the information everyone else had in textbooks. He was a member of an endangered subspecies…<br/><br/>“I’m sorry. Cloud… you’re lonely but you’re not alone… you're not like the Sahagin. It doesn't feel emotions like you do.” Kunsel walked over and slapped his hand on Cloud shoulder his cheerful demeanor back along with wide smile, <br/>“So don't worry about it, Bud. besides, you got us. Alphas may be boneheads but we are <em> your </em> boneheads. Especially Zack; the boniest head of them all.”<br/>They chuckled and Cloud reached under his helmet to wipe his moist eyes. <br/>“Thank you Sel”<br/><br/>“Hey Guys! I think I found something!” Zack called back from around the corner and Kunsel sighed again.<br/>“Ok!” he called back and patted Cloud on the shoulder again, before running off to catch up with Zack.<br/><br/>Cloud couldn’t help but chuckle. Boneheads indeed, but Kunsel was wiser and gentler than he let on. the sincerity of Kunsels words…It had made Cloud's gut flutter…<br/><br/>He took a step to follow after his friends when Zack called again but stopped when he heard movement for a narrow ally to his left. Cloud hesitated, and heard it again. a trashcan being knocked over.<br/><br/>“H-hey guys?” he called but got no response, he hesitated a second longer and heard the noise again. He should check it out? Right? Surely. Cloud swallowed.<br/>Yeah, they were there to investigate and keep people safe. It could be anything….<br/><br/>Cloud hoped it was a cat, though.<br/><br/>The Omega walked slowly into the ally, his sword out ready for a fight. It was dark… and colder than the rest of the area, most likely due to the shade…<br/>Sahagins liked dark, cool places… or was it damn places.. It wasn’t damp here, His head was spinning with his nerves and he  let out a breath, he should probably turn back. Tell the others.<br/><br/>But he could see the other end of the ally, he was about halfway through already and so far had seen nothing.<br/>“H-hello…?” he asked to the air.  His voice didn’t sound as brave as he wanted it too.<br/>He got no response either. Not that he expected one. It was silly, there was nothing there. He was alone….<br/><br/><em> There's nothing here. </em> He kept telling himself. A mantra in his head that he said with every step. He was almost out of the ally. And could feel the warmth of the sun on his face again. Thank the gods.<br/>Cloud was so caught up in how he passed through the alley, unscathed. That he didn't hear the wet gargled war cry until the last moment. He looked up and dived to the side narrowly avoiding a being speared straight down the middle.<br/><br/>The Sahagin hissed at him  and was on the attack again the second it landed. Diving forward spear first. Cloud yelped and grabbed his own sword rolling head first away and into the empty street. He rolled and landed on his feet. Thankful now for the open space. His luck seemed to be holding too. As the Sahagin had its spear stuck in the wall that Cloud had previously been against And was trying desperately to pull it free.<br/><br/>What Magic worked against them again? Angeal had told him once during a lesson. He knew he had. Some monsters were weak against some elemental magic.. What was it again? He could almost hear Angeals voice in his head-<br/><br/><em> Some monsters have obvious weaknesses. One that prefers water, or damp places for example, would, most likely, be weak against..- </em><br/><br/>“- <b>Thunder</b> !”  Cloud yelled and reached out with his  hand, a bolt of hot. Electricity arched from his fingers.  Hitting the Sahagin in the side. The creature let out a watery scream of pain, but as far as Cloud could tell his attack had done only minor damage, and likely only served to piss off the creature.<br/>The Sahagin hissed at him and yanked its speak free from the wall. It leaped up and dived back down towards Cloud.<br/>“Oh shit-” Cloud was forced to dive away again. But the second he righted himself the Sahagin was already on him, he raised his blade and went low, spinning around the creature and slicing at the same side his spell hit.<br/><br/>Cloud was rewarded with a thin spray of blood and another scream of pain from the creature.<br/>But then it kicked out and hit him square in the stomach forcing Cloud back and winding him.<br/>The Omega clutched his middle and gasped for air, the Sahagin gave no quarter to its struggling opponent however. And launched itself forward again. Cloud lifted his sword  and deflected the spear forcing it upward. It still hit. Knocking the helmet clean off his head, luckily it missed his eye and impaling him all together.<br/>Unluckily not only was he winded, he was now half blind by the blood that ran freely from his eyebrow and down his cheek.<br/><br/>“Damn it!” he had to end this quickly, He wasn’t gaining any ground!  The Sahagin went in for another stab and another in quick succession but this time Cloud was able to pull back and knock the spear away with his blade, then close the gap, he sliced down and the creature screeched in agony as it torso was given a nice deep slice from collarbone to naval.<br/>The Sahagin slapped him away with a backhand and the half blind Cloud  stumbled to the side.<br/>They both raised their weapons again staring one another down hatefully.<br/><br/>“Cloud!” he heard Zack call as he ran from around the corner, his own sword already drawn. Kunsel was right behind him pulling his own blade free from its scabbard as he did so.<br/>Cloud had never been more grateful to see his friends in that moment.<br/><br/>The Sahagin saw them too, and screeched, it turned in the other direction in order to make an escape “Oh no you don’t you little bastard!” Cloud said. He wasn’t even fully aware of what he was doing. He ran after the Monster slicing at its back legs causing the Sahagin to buckle.  And fall to its belly.<br/><br/>Zack and Kunsel skidded to a halt not far off. Watching the whole scene unfold. Their mouths are hanging open in shock. Neither had seen Cloud so violent before not even in training.<br/>The aforementioned Omega stood over the wiggling, dying creature. Panting with exhaustion<br/>“I’m sorry…” he said the creature turned its head enough to look back at Cloud “but you have to die now” he raised his sword.  The Sahagin closed its eyes...<br/><br/>The sword didn’t come back down again. Cloud stood frozen. Staring down at his enemy, at the creature who had tried desperately to kill him twenty seconds previously. His hands shook  and he felt bile  rise in his throat.<br/><br/>A hand was on his shoulder. “Spike.. It's ok… let me finish” Cloud barely heard Zack's voice but allowed himself to be moved and his sword taken away by Kunsel all the same.<br/>He turned away and didn’t see Zack bring his own sword down to end the pitiful monster.<br/><br/><br/>Dark clouds formed under the plates above them as Cloud fell to his knees.<br/>his mind felt foggy and his stomach rolled with nausea, <br/>“I’m sorry. I was going to end it.. I was.. I was so ready and then it looked at me. It knew…<em> it knew</em>”<br/>It began to rain heavily. “It wanted to kill me. It <em>hated</em> me. I hated it!  It's a monster and kills people but i couldn’t-”  Cloud sobbed.<br/><br/>“It's ok Bud… we didn’t expect you to fight it alone.. We’re sorry we didn’t come sooner” Kunsel tried to comfort him but Cloud only shook his head<br/><br/>“I wandered off.. I didn’t tell you guys it was there... I should have  killed it! why couldn’t I kill it?” he turned to Kunsel, the Alpha looked just as lost as Cloud felt.<br/><br/>“Because Omegas don’t take life...” Zack replayed from behind them, his tone much more serious than Cloud had ever heard. Both men turned and watched Zack while he cleaned his sword “they give it...”<br/><br/>The rain fell harder..</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. ...Until it starts to Rain.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em> “-probably a young adult that had been kicked from a nest. I would like to suggest a reconnaissance mission to be performed in the sewers under Sector 7 and possibly Sector 6, while we were unable to ascertain  how the creature entered Midgar, I don’t believe it made it this far alone. So far no wall breaches have been brought to our attention-” </em><br/>
<br/>
Cloud listened numbly to Zacks dictation for his report, the Alpha was pacing in the rain holding the device to his  lips as he spoke. Cloud had never seen Zack so… professional.<br/>
He supposed that was to be expected, Zack had gone through the training of SOLDIER and was a Lieutenant, his fathers were great and powerful Generals. This kind of professionalism probably rubbed off on him since he could first walk and talk.<br/>
<br/>
For some reason it stung. It reminded Cloud of just how little he knew about the world and the life he had desperately wanted for years now.<br/>
It reminded him of how little he truly knew of his dearest friends.<br/>
While there was no physical relation, with his hair slicked  back by the rain and the seriousness of his gaze, Zack looked so much like Angeal. This wasn’t his childhood friend. This was a powerful Alpha working methodically, an Alpha, who was secreting powerful Pheromones like he was issuing a challenge to his enemies. An Alpha fresh off a kill. An Alpha  that had protected his Omega charge.<br/>
<br/>
Even if that meant he was protecting the Omega from itself.<br/>
<br/>
“Cloud you gotta calm down, Bud, this rain is making it hard for me to clean your wound properly” Kunsel was knelt beside him gently rubbing the scratch over his eyebrow with an antiseptic. “Do you think you can use Cure? Might stop it from scaring. It's not that deep but wounds in this area scar easily”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud huddled in on himself “no… I should keep it”<br/>
<br/>
“Why?”<br/>
<br/>
“Its proof I failed”<br/>
<br/>
Kunsel threw the antiseptic rag down with a sigh “what a load of bullshit. Scars aren’t proof of failure, they are proof of survival. Gods above, do you even know what you managed to do today?”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud shook his head, “you took on Sahagin, alone. You, with no experience on the field  and only basic training. You held your own and brought a monster down that would have been a challenge for any third Class SOLDIER. That's big. it's amazing.”<br/>
<br/>
“But I didn’t kill it” Cloud huffed<br/>
<br/>
“Because you thought about it,” Kunsel said matter of factually.<br/>
<br/>
Cloud looked up at him disbelieving. “ because I’m weak”<br/>
The smack to the back of Clouds head was sudden, and he turned  and stood with a growl<br/>
“What the hell Zack!”<br/>
<br/>
The Alpha’s cat eyes narrowed on Cloud and he crossed his arms over his chest<br/>
“Didn’t you hear Kunsel? You took down a beast that would have given a SOLDIER trouble.”<br/>
<br/>
“But I-”<br/>
<br/>
“But what? You hesitated? You were given a moment to breath before the final blow was dealt. You thought about it and couldn't do it. That. is. Normal”<br/>
Cloud winced and looked away as Zack, rubbing his head<br/>
<br/>
“You didn’t have to hit me” he grumbled<br/>
<br/>
“I know Spike.. I'm sorry” Zack sighed. “But I wouldn’t have to hit you if you didn’t say such stupid things.”<br/>
<br/>
Kunsel stood and put his hand on Clouds shoulder, his thumb gently rubbing in circles,<br/>
“That wasn’t your kill to make” he said softly “trust me- If you are ever unlucky enough to have to end a life, you won't have time to think about your actions or hesitate. I hope you never have to kill Cloud, It's an awful weight to carry” Kunsel pulled him closer hugging him from behind.<br/>
<br/>
Zack nodded solemnly in agreement “the first ones are always the hardest. Even if it's a monster. And it's harder on you; Omegas are meant to give life. Not take it, like I said. You can rejuvenate the land. Where you walk plants grow, it rains when you cry, And one day-” Zack stepped closer putting a gentle hand to Cloud's stomach “you’ll carry life inside you.”  Zack then joined the hug. Pulling both Cloud and Kunsel in, wrapping them in together.  “It's a big deal. There is no shame in being unable to kill your enemy”<br/>
<br/>
The three held one another for a long time. Forgetting the world around them, and, slowly but surely, the rain slowed to a spittle. Cloud sniffed,<br/>
“Thank you.. Both of you. For bringing me out here.. I needed this” they all pulled back and  the Alphas grinned<br/>
<br/>
“No problem Spike. And we are right. This is something we gotta tell Angeal- maybe go light on the detail- but You can fight good”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
They were soaked through to the bone by the time they made it back to town and were greeted by a very confused Town Watch. People crowded around and jumped the group  when they approached<br/>
“Ah SOLDIER! Have you ever seen anything like it? Rain clouds forming so suddenly under the plates” one man said “And we aren't due any rain for a few more days. It must be magic”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud shifted uncomfortably and backed up behind Zack. Kunsel stepped forward however and raised his arms to get the attention of all the towns people around them<br/>
“Don’t be alarmed. The rain was caused by magic, yes. Our own Materia seemed to have an effect with the Monsters' magic.” he threw down the bagged head of the Sahagin, the gathered Betas recoiled.<br/>
“But it's dealt with now. We have called for Shinra to do a thorough check of the area, so if there are any more monsters- which we doubt- they will be taken care of accordingly, we ask that you remain vigilant but that is all. We are safe”<br/>
<br/>
The gathered crowd started to chatter at the news. The chatter grew in volume until a cheer broke out. People clapped for the SOLDIERS and thanked them profusely.<br/>
Zack and Kunsel were able to deflect most of the people's attention away from Cloud.but some men broke through to shake his hand as well as their. it felt good, Cloud thought to himself. He had done something to help these people.<br/>
Finally the crowd dissipated.<br/>
<br/>
“Well. that went well,” Zack commented to his friends after a moment.<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah. I almost believed you too,” came a very gruff response from behind them. Zack sighed and his soldiers slumped.<br/>
<br/>
“Barret-” Zack turned to look at the larger man that had been leaning against a far wall, listening in on the group.<br/>
“Materia mixing with Monster magic causing it to rain- thats a real stretch Zack, even for you”<br/>
<br/>
“It's the truth” Zack defended, Kunsel moved back to block their new companions' view of Cloud. Cloud had never seen a man so big and muscled before. He seemed to tower over the three of them. He was an Alpha for sure.<br/>
<br/>
Barret lifted his gun arm and leveled it at Zack, the smaller Alpha seemed unconcerned however “Right. You say that, and the Betas will believe you.  Heck the rain actually helped. Plants were looking a little dry- But I can smell the bullshit, so, what’cha hiding?”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud pushed passed the  Alphas and stood in Barrett's way, the gun arm leveled down his way and the Alpha raised his brow “what’s your problem kid?” he demanded<br/>
<br/>
“Stand down, sir.” Cloud said and pulled away when Zack put his hand on his shoulder to pull him back “the rain was my doing. I apologize for any inconvenience, but I would rather that you don’t  point your gun at my friends!”<br/>
<br/>
Barret looked passed Cloud to Zack. then back down to Cloud. “Or what?”<br/>
Cloud swallowed the lump in his throat. But stood his ground<br/>
“Back off” Cloud said and sternly as he could.<br/>
<br/>
Barret lowered his gun after a moment. And lent in close to Cloud. He gave a large sniff of the air around him and pulled back. The silence was heavy around them as Cloud waited for the Alphas next move.<br/>
The Barret snorted, and let loose a roar of laughter<br/>
“You got balls Tiny. bigger than any SOLDIER I know! I ain't gonna hurt ya relax!” he clapped Clouds shoulder hard with his one hand and looked to Zack<br/>
“What’chu doin’ with an Omega out here? You boys lookin for trouble?” Cloud relaxed, had the larger man just been playing him?<br/>
<br/>
Zack chuckled “its ok Spike. Barrets a friend. Nice show though- I believed in you,”<br/>
“You think he could have taken me?” Barrett looked offended<br/>
“Oh yea, big guy. Spikes got Fire,”<br/>
<br/>
Barret huffed and grumbled “you didn’t answer my question though, what’s he doin’ here?” he bent down again so he was eye level with Cloud almost like he was examining him<br/>
“Never thought I’d see a real life Omega... Fancy that. Marlenes gonna love this”<br/>
<br/>
“She can meet him, if you cool with that. This is probably a conversion we should have back at the bar” Kunsel said crossing his arms. He had been keeping an eye out. So far no one else was paying them much mind. But they were a conspicuous group to say the least.<br/>
<br/>
Barret looked up at Kunsel and nodded. “She’d like that. C’mon follow me” Barrett took his hand from Cloud's shoulder and allowed Omega to hurry back to Kunsels' side.<br/>
Zack and Barrett were already walking a head, deep in a conversation about the latest Chocobo races.<br/>
<br/>
“Who is that Guy?” Cloud asked as he rubbed his aching shoulder.  Kunsel kept him close and smiled.<br/>
“Barret Wallace; he’s the leader of the local Watch. Keeps us informed of any monster activity. As well as help police the sector. He looks  mean as hell, especially with that gun arm. But really he’s a softy.”<br/>
<br/>
“Was he SOLDIER?” Cloud asked as he watched the pair in front. Zack and said something to make Barret laugh loudly<br/>
<br/>
“I don’t think so” Kunsel answered “I mean.. I highly doubt it. Each Sector has their own Watch. Barret just runs Sector 7’s. As well as owning the Seventh Heaven with Tifa- they and Zack go way back, I think Barret even knew Angeal when he still did patrols like this”<br/>
He put his arm over Clouds shoulder,<br/>
“How are you feeling now anyway?”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud felt heat rise to his cheeks at the contact. Kunsel had been extra considerate and protective since this morning. Zack was as well but seemed to hide it better. Kunsel made a point to touch Cloud as much as he could. Especially after the fight with the Sahagin, Cloud suspected Kunself felt guilty for leaving Cloud behind.<br/>
“Better, I think. just worn out. Thank you for bringing me here. I’ve learned a lot and it's been fun”<br/>
Kunsel glanced at him and raised a brow “still want to Join SOLDIER?” he asked.<br/>
Cloud thought for a moment<br/>
“I think I do. Yes.” Kunsel patted his shoulder and moved away with a sigh. The conversation ended there, did Kunsel feel the same way about his choice as Zack and Rufus did?<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Seventh Heaven was a large building, with about three floors and a roof garden. It seemed like a central hub of the area. People came and went. And whatever was cooking inside smelt good.<br/>
Barret kicked open the door enthusiastically. “Right you bums. everyone out. We got SOLDIERS here and we gotta talk business!” all the betas in the room groaned and stood up. Some taking plates and glasses with them as they piled out the door<br/>
<br/>
“Well done, you just kicked all our customers during lunch hour” the woman behind the bar spoke sarcastically. Barret waved her off.<br/>
“Don’t sweat, this is important, you're gonna love it. Is Marlene here?”<br/>
The woman turned and called up the stairs behind her for  Marlene. Barret stepped aside for Zack, Cloud and Kunsel,<br/>
<br/>
“Tifa! good to see you. Sorry about your customers” Zack said sheepishly<br/>
“It's ok Zack, you can just pay their tabs for today” the Alpha groaned in response, and turned to Cloud.<br/>
“Welcome to Seventh Heaven Spike, the lovely lady is Tifa Lockhart” he turned back to Tifa with his trademark grin “Tifa. meet Cloud”<br/>
<br/>
“He’s an Omega” Barret said “the genuine thing! He was the one who made it rain just now!” Tifa stared at Cloud, her expression unreadable.<br/>
<br/>
“Is he now..?” she walked around the bar and right up to Cloud. “You know I had laundry hanging to dry on the roof right? Gotta do it all again now”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud stammered “Uh… a...I’m sorry Ma’am”<br/>
Tifa chuckled and punched him in the shoulder playfully.“pft, I’m not angry, relax! It's good to meet you Cloud. You hungry?”<br/>
“Uh, yeah!”<br/>
“I’ll get you some grub up. Zacks paying~” Tifa walked back to the bar and jumped over it.<br/>
<br/>
All the men found seat around a table just as the little patter of feet came from behind the bar “There's my girl” Barret turned away from the group and opened up his arms<br/>
<br/>
“Daddy!”<br/>
<br/>
the little Girl, Marlene, Cloud guessed ran right up to Barret jumping into his arms for a hug “I missed you daddy!”<br/>
“I missed you too, sweet pea. I brought some friends home with me too; You remember Zack and Kunsel, right?” Marlene looked  over at them and grinned, waving at them.<br/>
“Hi” the two Alphas grinned and waved back<br/>
“Hi” they said in unison<br/>
<br/>
“And this here” Barret pointed to Cloud “Is someone real special, he’s an Omega I told you about em before”<br/>
<br/>
Marlenes eyes went wide when she saw Cloud, almost awestruck.<br/>
“Hello” she said nervously<br/>
<br/>
Cloud smiled softly and bent closer so he was eye level with the girl, he could see she was unsure and his Omega instincts kicked in. unknowingly Cloud released a calming Pheromone  that washed over the group, and when he spoke his voice sounded far gentler than it usually did. “hello, Marlene.  it's nice to meet you, Im Cloud”<br/>
<br/>
“You’re really pretty,” she said with honesty reserved only for children. Cloud chuckled<br/>
“That's very kind of you. But I don’t hold a candle to you. I love that ribbon in you hair” Marlene reached up to the bow she had that tied up his thick blown hair and giggled<br/>
“Tifa got it for me”<br/>
<br/>
“Well Tifa has good tastes.” Marlene nodded excitedly and started to talk loudly at Cloud, about other ribbons she had. And then the colouring books she was working on. It wasn’t long before she had moved over to sit on Cloud's lap instead of Barrets,  Cloud listened to her every word she had his undivided attention.<br/>
Barret looked on with approval, he had liked Clouds spark at first now he was sure he was a good egg.<br/>
<br/>
Zack and Kunsel were equally as awestruck and approving. They couldn’t remember a time when Cloud had interacted with Children, and yet he got along with Marlene so easily. He looked totally at ease and was practically glowing.<br/>
<br/>
“It must be an Omega thing” Zack said quietly<br/>
Kunsel nodded, he couldn’t take his eyes off Cloud,<br/>
“He looks much happier than he did with the Sahagin. Why does he want to Join SOLDIER so badly? I never understood it”<br/>
<br/>
“For the same reasons we did, I assume. He wants to help people.”<br/>
<br/>
“He wont like it… it's not just about defeating monsters”<br/>
<br/>
“I know.. But for now… i'm happy just to let him do what he needs to do, he’s still finding himself” Zack looked between Kunsel and Cloud,<br/>
<br/>
“Thanks for going along with this plan Sel.” Kunsel nodded but didn’t look around to Zack; he was totally focused on Cloud and the Little girl. His expression was filled with affection.<br/>
<br/>
“You're going to tell us what's going on then?” Barret had shifted closer to Zack and Tifa had joined them. Carrying food and drink<br/>
<br/>
“Was he the friend you called ahead about?” she asked<br/>
<br/>
“Yep.” Zacked said “his full Name is Cloud Shinra-Strife. He’s not just an Omega.. He's <em> The </em> Omega”<br/>
<br/>
“Shit. he’s gonna be the next head of Shinra?” Barret sat back in his chair “what's he doing here?” Zack shrugged,<br/>
<br/>
“He wants to enlist in SOLDIER. But Rufus and pretty much everyone on the board refuses him. So I came up with this plan. Sneak him down as an Infantry man. Let him get a taste of it head back up for his presentation day tomorrow.”<br/>
<br/>
Barret let out a whistle. “Thats a mighty big risk you’re taking. Your Dad know about it?”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah, he actually helped fudge the paper work and get the uniform”<br/>
<br/>
“Damn, Angeal still got some rebel in him” Barret laughed and took a mighty swig from his own beer.<br/>
<br/>
“Was he ok? With the patrol I mean” Tifa asked with concern in her eyes. “I mean.. All that rain…”<br/>
<br/>
Zack nodded “he was the one that found and took out the Sahagin. You should have seen him. He’s rough around the edges but Clouds got some skill. Only…”<br/>
<br/>
“Only..?”<br/>
<br/>
“Only, he  couldn't kill it. I had to. It's not a bad thing… but he beat himself up pretty rotten about not finishing the job” Zack sighed.<br/>
<br/>
“Do you think he could make a good SOLDIER?” Tifa asked<br/>
<br/>
“For sure,” Kunsel said, finally zoning into the conversation. “He's talented. And hell of a lot braver than most rookies. but…”<br/>
<br/>
“Being in SOLDIER changes you. Neither of us want to see Cloud change.” Zack finished for Kunsel. The group turned to watch Cloud interacting with Marlene, she was showing him some of her pictures and telling him a story about each one. He looked just as engaged as when she first crawled onto his lap.  It was beautiful in a way. Barret looked very impressed.<br/>
<br/>
“Do you think he will ever get into SOLDIER?” Tifa asked after a long pause. Her voice hushed so Cloud wouldn't hear them.<br/>
<br/>
Zack turned to look at her. His gaze was serious and filled with melancholy<br/>
“No. Shinra would never risk the future head of the organisation, let alone an Omega. They are so rare. He has never met another.”<br/>
<br/>
“Shit” Barret huffed.”then why go to all the trouble to bring him down here?”<br/>
Zack and Kunsel looked to one another then back to Tifa and Barret<br/>
“We want to make him happy,” Kunsel said softly. “I’d die happy knowing I made him smile in the end” Zack nodded in agreement and lent against Kunsel. They were of the same mind.the second they clapped eyes on Cloud both had taken it upon themselves to protect their friend, with it came a comradery between the two of them that was matched by none.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
“Omegas have that way about them I guess,” Barret said. “Marlene never warms so quickly to new people.”<br/>
Zack shrugged “or its just Cloud”<br/>
<br/>
The group sat back and watched Cloud and Marlene for a while longer. Eventually the little girl wanted to go do something else and ran off. Barret started to tell Cloud about how he knew Zack and Kunsel in more detail. About the battles they had won. And a massive hole in the wall they filled. Eventually Tifa had to return to the bar as customers started to filter back in. The group ate and chatted merrily. And Barret introduced Cloud to a few more Friends; A Beta pair called Biggs and Jesse. Biggs was a Teacher at a nearby school and he gravitated to Cloud instantly when Barret mentioned how good Cloud had been with Marlene.  Anyone who could earn that girl's trust was a friend for life in Biggs mind.<br/>
<br/>
The hours ticked by until it was the late afternoon. Cloud couldn't remember a time where he had had some much fun just sitting talking with people.<br/>
Everyone was so casual, happy, and work hardened.<br/>
Cloud wanted this more often. He wondered if Rufus would allow him to come to Seventh Heaven all the time? At least while he could.  A card game had sprung up in the group and Zack and Kunsel enjoyed teaching Cloud the ropes. Bets were made. Laughs were had.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
It was a few hours later when they heard a commotion outside. Barret was the first one standing just as a larger young man burst through the door.<br/>
“Wedge?! What's wrong?” he said  lifting his gun arm ready for a fight.<br/>
<br/>
“It's the Silver Garrison, their back!” Wedge said hurriedly, Zack and Kunsel stood then and Cloud followed<br/>
<br/>
“Sephiroth's Unit?”<br/>
<br/>
“At the gates. It's bad you guys!” Wedge ran back out the bar, followed closely by everyone else.<br/>
<br/>
“I thought General Crescent was posted at the Barren Lands indefinitely?” Cloud asked Zack as they ran with the crowd. Weaving between people<br/>
<br/>
“That was his request” Zack answered “something must be wrong for them to be back so suddenly.” they made it to the Gates of Sector 7 just as they were opening. The large steel doors sliding over dirt slowly, Cloud, Zack and Kunsel pushed their way to the front of the gathered crowd of people.<br/>
<br/>
Cloud had been expecting a brilliant display to come through the gate. Hundreds of men  and women of SOLDIER in marching order or trucks simply barreling through the Sector to head up to the plate. What he saw made his blood turn to ice;<br/>
<br/>
There couldn’t have been more than fifty walking troops. Most had bandages wrapped around some part of them. All had their heads down. And carried stretchers.<br/>
The wounded groaned and coughed.<br/>
<br/>
The dead were carried on the back of a large cart pulled by two men. There were so many dead. All covered in a sheet. The crowd grew eerily silent around him. It was like everyone was frozen in place watching the sad march.<br/>
This isn’t what it should be like. SOLDIER were the best and Sephiroth's men were the best of the best.<br/>
<br/>
“We should see what we can do to help,”  Cloud heard Zack say next to him, the alpha ran out towards the caravan, With Kunsel following closely behind  and Cloud felt a sudden wave of nausea, he took a step, his gaze focused on Zack, his head hurt<br/>
What was wrong with him?<br/>
<br/>
Cloud tried to focus on what Zack was doing; he was talking to a much taller man with long silvery hair; the General. he looked up and around Cloud's direction.<br/>
<br/>
Cloud suddenly felt a wave of  emotions; heartbreak, panic, humiliation and fear and - and… and anger. Rage bubbling underneath is skin like a wild beast trying to claw its way out. Like someone was screaming at him. He felt a heartbeat in his ear and he wasn't even sure it was his own. The feelings were stronger than anything Cloud had felt before, He couldn't remember a time he felt so intensely like this.   He tried to move. Tried to do anything. But it was like a monster had caught him in its sights, And he couldn't escape it.<br/>
<br/>
“Cloud you ok?” Barrets voice barely registered in his head. He knew someone had grabbed him and was holding him up. Cloud took another look around, his vision blurring, he saw the bodies. Alphas and Betas. Mangled and beaten. Killed horribly. The wounded moans and screams suddenly seemed so much louder. So much worse. They had all suffered greatly. They had all been led into the eye of a storm.<br/>
<br/>
Cloud felt dizzy and sick. He wasn’t even sure where he was anymore,<br/>
He saw Kunsel turn to look at him. Green eyes filled with worry. Then panicking, He turned and called for Zack but Cloud didn’t hear his voice.<br/>
<br/>
Zack turned and the man he was with was focused solely on him now.<br/>
He had to get away from him. He had to run! The heartbeat in his ears was too loud now. Cloud thought his head would explode!<br/>
The tall silver haired man took a step forward but it felt to Cloud like an earthquake or thunderous stampede instead.  each step was the beat of a drum.<br/>
<br/>
Cloud ran.<br/>
<br/>
He had no idea where the strength came from. But he’d pushed Barret away. And forced his way through the crowd. thunder and lightning clapped over head and someone in the crowd screamed…<br/>
<br/>
Cloud ran.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
The rain Buffeted Midgar, the whole city plates and surface were swept up in a maelstrom.<br/>
People ran. Some to the wounded to help them inside. Others just tried to hide themselves. Plants and debris was picked up and thrown about.<br/>
<br/>
“Kunsel go after him! Fuck!” Zack turned back to Sephiroth “I’m sorry General! I have to- General Crescent?” Sephiroth was frozen in place, his mouth open and his eyes wide.  He looked like he hadn't even noticed the storm around him. Zack grabbed Sephiroth  by the arm and shook him.<br/>
<br/>
“General whats wrong?!” Sephiroth's eyes snapped to Zack.<br/>
<br/>
“Who-?”  Sephiroth began to ask<br/>
<br/>
“There's no time to explain! Can you get a message to Angeal I need to go after him!”<br/>
<br/>
The wind hit them  and they could barely brace themselves against it.<br/>
<br/>
“Barret! Make sure the people get to safety!” Zack yelled over to the larger man. He got a thumbs up in reply. “General we need you!”<br/>
<br/>
Sephiroth snapped to action then. “Go Zack stop that Omega now!” for It was an Omega. It had to be. It felt so familiar  to Sephiroth as well, in a way that demanded he chase the Omega down. In a way he couldn't explain he felt his blood pumping in his ears he felt... Panic. Sephiroth couldn't remember the last time he had panicked…<br/>
<br/>
Zack was already running. And Sephiroth needed to focus on his men and the people of the Sector.<br/>
<br/>
“Someone find me a radio! I need to contact General Hewley immediately!” Sephiroth demanded his nearest troops.<br/>
<br/>
Zack had caught up to Kunsel pretty quickly. The other Alpha was struggling greatly against the wind<br/>
“He went that way!” Kunsel yelled over the Maelstrom “through to the underpass to Sector 6! We might be able to catch his scent from there!” the two Alphas struggled to the underpass and nearly fell over when they reached it, drenched and dripping wet.<br/>
<br/>
“We have to find him. Do you know what happened?”  Zack asked after a moment to catch his breath. </p><p><br/>
Kunsel shook his head “Tifa called after me. Said he looked like he was going to faint. Then.. I don’t know. It was like he’d seen something that horrified him, he screamed and well-” Kunsel motioned to behind them. “That happened. It feels like the storm was thrown up in some sort of self defense”<br/>
Zack stood straight  and looked behind them to the storm. It had come on more forceful than any of the others Cloud had made in his life. It was far more violent. Malevolent even.<br/>
<br/>
“We have to catch Cloud and find out what happened so we can stop this storm before it tears up all of Midgar.” he said scanning the skyline with concern, he turned back to Kunsel and helped him stand up straight he couldn't help a chuckle in spite of what was happening even as they started running again.<br/>
<br/>
“What's so funny?” Kunsel asked<br/>
<br/>
“Nothin’ just thinking how Rufus will know for sure now that Cloud sneaked out"<br/>
<br/>
“Oh great. Glad to know our reward for getting him back will be being stripped of our rank and unceremoniously kicked from SOLDIER”<br/>
<br/>
“There are worse things”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>oh you thought there would be Fluff for the entire chapter? whoops nope sorry.</p><p>the second Cloud claps eyes on Sephiroth, 'Those Chosen by the Planet' starts to play in his head and he panics. no matter than Universe. poor Sephiroth.<br/>thank you everyone who are reading and bookmarking and gave kudos this story, and especially people who are commenting. its really motivating to me.<br/>i pretty much have most of the story planned out at this point. &gt;:P</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Where the Feathers Fall and the Flowers Grow.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cloud ran until his lungs burned and his legs felt weak. He didn't see the world around him. Didn't see people run for cover from the storm he had created with his fear. Didn't feel the rain pelting his face<br/>At least he didn't until his one gales buffeted him to the floor. Cloud crumpled to the ground and crawled to a gap in some ruins between crumbling rocks tree roots, he curled up his knees brought to his chest.<br/><br/>He couldn't even remember what he had seen. His brain felt fuzzy and it hurt to think about.<br/>All he could remember was the sickening feeling of rage. rage that wasn’t his own.<br/>Cloud sobbed, and squeezed his eyes shut, Blocking out the noise and the pain. Preying it would all go away. He rocked himself until he lost awareness completely.<br/><br/>When Cloud finally opened his eyes again all he could see was light. He wondered if it was morning. The wind had calmed significantly. And the rain was softer against his face.<br/>He could hardly feel it but for the warmth around him.<br/><br/>“Hello..?” Was that his voice? Cloud couldn't tell. Everything was  hazy and he felt so lost…<br/>“Can you hear me? Hello?”   he could see two beautiful Teal eyes looking at him with concern, then a face came into view  “..are you ok?” the voice was clearer now. heavenly...<br/><br/>“Hello?” Cloud heard himself say, numbly. The face smiled. the … Omega in front of him smiled. He didn’t know how he knew. But he did. The woman was an Omega. there was  another Omega in front of him….<br/><br/>The world suddenly came back into focus and the wind picked up again and Cloud winced.<br/>So did the other Omega and her umbrella turned inside out and was yanked from her hand<br/>“-Damn! well that was useless.” she huffed and turned back to Cloud after watching it fly off towards the ruins.<br/><br/>“hey,“ she knelt back down to Cloud and took his hand into her own “I’m gonna need you to calm down, ok? A lot of people are very scared right now” she smiled<br/>“Just breathe with me ok?”<br/><br/>Cloud watched her take a deep breath in and then slowly release it, he still felt so lost and scared. But her hands were warm. He sucked in a breath and released it in time with her second breath.<br/>“That's it” she cheered him on. “Deep breath in. empty your head. Deep breath out, and loosen your muscles in your shoulders” he followed her instructions as closely as he could. A few times he panicked again. But gradually over time. Cloud felt his nerves calm.<br/>The winds slowed to a gentle breeze.<br/><br/>A few more breaths and Cloud felt utterly relaxed. His eyes drooped, the rain softened.<br/>Cloud collapsed forward, the rain stopped entirely.<br/><br/>“Oh.. “ the woman said a little shocked at the other Omega now unconscious against her.<br/>“Well.. I mean that's one way to stop the rain.” she looked around  and huffed a sigh “I guess i’m going to have to drag you someplace safe now, huh?”<br/><br/>-<br/><br/>When Cloud opened his eyes again it was to the sun filtering through a hole above him and the sweet smell of flowers around him.<br/>“where … am I?” he asked the air around him not truly expecting an answer but he got one anyway;<br/>“You’re in my secret place. I had to drag your heavy butt here from the old ruins. - Well I guess actually we are still in the ruins but these are my ruins I guess.”<br/><br/>Cloud tried sitting up, he felt utterly exhausted. And braced himself up with his elbows<br/>“What happened?” he asked the woman knelt in front of him. He remembered her. Breathing with him. She looked beautiful.<br/><br/>“You caused a Maelstrom to appear at the center of the city. If I hadn’t stopped you with my amazing skills, we would all be doomed. You’re welcome~” she grinned and winked at him.  Cloud blinked at her nonchalant attitude<br/>“Seriously though, you must have gone through something serious to summon a storm that big. Are you ok?” she asked in a much more concerned voice.<br/><br/>Cloud scratched his head trying to remember what exactly happened.<br/>“I… ran, the Silver Garrison had returned and my Friend went to meet the General… I saw.. Something and I felt it..” he put his hand on his chest “here… it terrified me.”<br/><br/>The woman stared at him for a moment, her eyes filling with empathy “you have some pretty powerful skills. You must have met someone who was hurting a lot.”<br/><br/>“Powerful?”<br/><br/>“Well, yeah you nearly brought down the plates on top of us, silly. You’re super powerful didn't anyone train you?” Cloud shook his head<br/><br/>“My parents died a long time ago… I don’t know any other Omega”<br/><br/>The Woman sighed and stood up “well you do now~ So I guess I have no choice” she grinned and held out her hand “I accept!”<br/><br/>“Pardon?”<br/><br/>“I hereby accept the responsibility of being your official Omega teacher! My name is Aerith” Cloud looked up at her confused, he started at the outstretched hand in front of him for a long moment unable to even process what was happening.<br/><br/>“Uh… I’m Cloud” he said. Reaching up gingerly to take her hand.  She pulled him up and for the first time Cloud had a good hard look at where he was.<br/>It was a church. Old, and, thanks to him, damp. But it was covered in Flowers and tree roots.  Glancing down Cloud could see he had been laying in  a bed of them. They had sprung back up as if he had never crushed them under his weight. The scent was relaxing the place was beautiful<br/><br/>“You live here Aerith?” he asked after a long moment taking in the scenery<br/><br/>“Nope. I just hang around here a lot.” she answered<br/><br/>“Why?” he asked<br/><br/>“That, my friend will be our first lesson of Omega-hood” Aerith winked and motioned for him to take a seat at a pew that was somehow still intact<br/>“Ok so!” Aerith remained standing in front of Cloud, her hands on her hips “everything you know about the Omega is a lie” she announced.<br/><br/>Cloud just blinked at her “how?”<br/><br/>“Because some smarty pants a thousand years ago mistranslated the Ancients message. Omegas aren't meant to be mated to each other… well I mean.. They can in rare cases I guess but it's like… Incest. With extra steps.”<br/><br/>“Incest.” Cloud wrinkled his nose. “How?”<br/><br/>“Well incest isn’t the best word for it. But it's the closest I could come up with.  All Omega come from the same place. We are all connected in a way. So we aren't meant to be mated to one another. We are children of the Ancients. Siblings…. With extra steps.”<br/><br/>“The texts read ‘only an omega can beget an Omega’” Cloud argued not liking where the conversation was going at all.<br/><br/>“Yea. but that doesn't mean a mated pair of Omega is needed. It just means only an Omega can birth or sire an Omega.” Cloud thought for a second, he guessed she had a point.<br/><br/>“You still haven't explained why you hang around in this church” he said crossing his arms over his chest, Aerith's eyes sparkled.<br/><br/>“That, my uninformed Friend, is the best part” she giggled  “I'm waiting for my Mate, this is where we are going to meet”<br/><br/>“who are they?”<br/><br/>“An Alpha”<br/><br/>Cloud stood suddenly, the force of it nearly making him faint but he pressed on,<br/>“That's dangerous Aerith! Alphas are violent. They can't be with Omegas. It would kill you!”<br/>Aeirth huffed “that's just what they told you, it's a lie.”<br/><br/>“They can Fall!”<br/><br/>“Because we aren’t there for them! Are you saying you don’t have any Alpha friends? that you think they are all monsters?” Cloud opened his mouth to say something back but stopped himself  with a wince.<br/><br/>Zack, Kunsel and Angeal.... Their smiling faces crossed his mind in a flash and suddenly Cloud felt very guilty. How could he say they were violent? They were the most beautiful, kind people he knew. Zack and Kunsel had risked everything to give him that little bit of freedom. Angeal treated him like he was part of the family.<br/>Cloud thought of Barret; with his big gun and attitude.. And how tenderly he held his daughter.<br/><br/>Sure Alphas were bigger than him, they were made to defend humanity…<br/>He thought back to the cart of bodies, to the wounded SOLDIERS who were maimed trying to save a town.<br/>Cloud slumped back to the pew, and put his head in his hands.<br/><br/>How could he think like that about his friends.. How had he never considered it before?<br/><br/>“It's shitty isn’t it?” Aerith was sitting next to him. “This world we built. It's almost perfect but for that one major flaw.” she looked up to the light shining between the rafters.<br/><br/>“How did you know?”<br/><br/>“My parents. Dad was an Alpha, Mum was Omega” Aerith smiled wishfully.<br/>“I was really young when they died, it was an accident. But I remember how much my Dad loved my Mum. She was made for him, they said. That's how it works.<br/>Not all Alphas have an Omega. But all Omegas have an Alpha. That's why they are Falling, I think, Omegas are dying because we don't find our Alphas. Our hearts break and we can't survive without them. They anchor us to the world.”<br/><br/>“ And Alphas Fall.. because the balance is off. It's like the world is trying to fix itself. But doesn’t know how” Cloud listened carefully, he watched how sad Aerith looked and instinctively took her hand in his. She smiled sweetly at him and pressed on with her explanation,<br/><br/>“We had to hide a lot… people thought like you did; That Dad had stolen Mum from another Omega. Or would hurt her and me. It made them very sad.”<br/><br/>“How did they find each other?” Cloud asked gently<br/><br/>“The same way I’ll find mine, and why I wait here. Mum reached out to the Lifestream, it showed her my Dad and where to meet him, if he needed her yet.” she grinned<br/><br/>“When I touched the life stream. I saw this place, and you, and my Alpha. I admit I was very confused at first. I thought I had two mates.” Aerith giggled “better luck in the next life I guess”<br/><br/>“How will he know you’re <em> his </em> Omega?”<br/><br/>“Oh I'm sure he just will, y’know? Like yours will too I'm sure” Aerith giggled again and Cloud  gasped. Suddenly frozen with the possibility. He hadn’t considered that he might have a destined Mate. he assumed like all others he would need to find and be courted by another Omega. It hadn't been a possibility he looked forward too.<br/><br/>“Honestly I think when you find them you’ll have much more control over your powers. I can only make a small blizzard usually when I'm angry or frustrated. What you can do is incredible.” Aerith continued on.<br/><br/>“How… do I find them?” Cloud asked her, almost unbelieving, in the span of a single day his world had been turned upside down. And if Aerith was right. They may just have the way to save Gaia. convincing the other Omegas would be a challenge…<br/><br/>Aerith pulled him up and brought Cloud back to the flower patch. “Here sit” Cloud did as he was told. “Now take your gloves off. And put your hands in the soil. Try to bury your fingers in. about to the second knuckle I think works best” Aerith explained<br/>“Have you ever entered the Lifestream before?” Cloud shook his head<br/><br/>“Ok. well.. Take a deep breath. And imagine yourself traveling down your body. And through your fingers, into the roots of the flowers. Then down lower into the soil. If you see a Tree root try to hitch a ride. Take your time. And focus down into the earth”<br/>Aerith's voice was gentle on Cloud's ears and helped him relax a great deal. He closed his eyes and tried to focus.<br/><br/>It was difficult at first. Little things caught his attention or a part of him itched suddenly.<br/>But eventually he found the level he needed. It was a small space, between waking and sleeping. Cloud felt himself start to drift in darkness. He found the roots first. Little strands of life he clung too, the void beneath them was daunting, it was dark and cold. But nothing like the Ally that he met the Sahagin in. it was the cool earth welcoming him.<br/><br/>Cloud spent a moment there on the precipice, clinging to the light of the flower root, looking below him until finally, he let go entirely.<br/>He felt himself falling endlessly. But not once did he think about panicking. Not once did he think he would lose himself. He was being guided by gentle hands. And for a moment he thought Aerith was there beside him. Her energy moved with him.<br/><br/>Somehow he knew this was something he needed to do alone. And she accepted it. Releasing him and falling back up to the roots to wait for him there.<br/>Cloud allowed himself to fall further. Until he felt resistance. It was like waking in a pool of fresh water. Floating just at the surface.<br/>In his mind he righted himself. Imagining his body sitting up.<br/>“Show me” he asked in a gentle voice, his lips un-moving. His world exploded around him and he saw a shape ahead of him. It was small. The size of a man kneeling, but as Cloud got closer it grew. Feathers floated up around him and the man's form shifted into that of a Giant black bird. A dark Phoenix.<br/><br/>Cloud stopped; Suddenly paralyzed with fear. He felt like he had seen this before- no he had seen it before! He was sure of it. He had felt its hatred before, he'd felt its anger as clearly as he felt his own. this wasn’t right? Where was his mate?<br/><br/>The Mighty bird let out a roar and spread its wings wide. Dark feathers swirled around him.<br/>This evil.. It was trying to force him out. Away from his Mate!<br/>Cloud ground his teeth together and snarled. He wouldn’t run this time. He had failed to kill the Sahagin. He had run from this hate before. But not again.<br/>The Bird screeched again and took Flight before him.<br/><br/><b> <em>“You are too late!” </em> </b>  the words echoed around his head like nails on a chalkboard.<br/><b> <em>“You have failed! You left him to die!</em> </b> Cloud pushed on trying to ignore the malevolent voice. It was lying he could feel the Alpha in there. Feel his Mates energy.<br/><br/>This was a Fallen. It had to be. This is what Alphas faced inside them. The darkness that was destroying them. His Mate, whoever he was, was fighting back against this creature inside of him everyday.  The Bird screeched again.<br/>“You will not have him I won't let him Fall” Cloud shot back in spite. “You cannot keep him from me!”<br/><br/>The great winged beast landed, and it let out a noise that could have sounded like a chuckle. Its voice sounded far more human than monstrous this time.<br/><em><b>“You will fail…” </b></em>  it lent forward its burning inhuman eyes staring Cloud down.<br/><br/>“Show him to me now!” Cloud demanded.<br/><br/><b> <em>“You will fail  and when that happens I will only leave you alive long enough to see the carnage. I will level Midgar and turn this world to ash and glass...”</em> </b> <b> <em><br/></em> </b> <b> <em><br/></em> </b> <b> <em>“Or maybe… I will keep you to myself , and use you for my own ends. I can sense your power, so unrefined. I could mold you … my dear, puppet”</em> </b> <b> <em><br/></em> </b> <b> <em><br/></em> </b> Cloud swallowed his nerves. He was terrified. Was this creature really that powerful? He didn’t want to think about it. He couldn't even imagine how he would begin fighting such a thing.<br/><br/>Cloud shook his head resiliently. No. he had learned too much he knew what he had to do now. What he and Aerith needed to do; Find their mates, and confront the rest of the world. They could do it, they could restore balance and save everyone!<br/>“Show. me. My. Mate.” Cloud demanded for a final time<br/><br/><b> <em>“...As you wish, Puppet.” </em> </b> The great feathered beast bowed its head and wrapped its wings about itself. <b> <em><br/></em> </b> <b> <em><br/></em> </b> The feathers in the space around Cloud moved like a vortex blocking his view,  battering him, swarming around him trying to force Cloud to his knees.<br/>“Enough!” Cloud yelled. The feathers immediately disintegrated around him. Turning instead to petals. The darkness gave way to intense light. It was so bright, but not once did Cloud need to shield himself from it. <br/><br/>The Omega marched forward towards the man who stood before. Cloud only came up to the middle of his chest, the Man stood with his eyes closed like an elegant statue.<br/>He looked like he had been chiseled from Marble.  His long hair smelt faintly sweet, as it fluttered behind him. Cloud swallowed his nerves.<br/><br/>“Sephiroth Crescent”<br/><br/>Cloud had never met him before. Not in person. But Angeal had told him stories his whole life. There were news clippings and reports  he had read for years. It was unreal that he was made for a war hero and famed SOLDIER, and yet somehow, how could it have been anyone else?<br/><br/>This was why Cloud had always felt he needed to get into SOLDIER.  To get to Sephiroth.<br/>Cloud sucked in a breath, and leveled his gaze with the image of the man before him. <br/><br/>“I will save you”<br/><br/>The Image of Sephiroth opened his cat like eyes then, fixing Cloud with a stare,<br/>and smiled.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>'Hollow' starts playing faintly in the distance.</p><p>yep. two chapters in one night. I'm as surprised as you. they were meant to be one chapter originally, but i felt like it needed to be split.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Aftermath of a Storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zack knelt to a small alcove in the ruins it was formed by crumbling rocks and tree roots. He sniffed the air and lent close to the dirt, his fingers gently running along what was an obvious indent possibly someone had sat here. He followed the marks out of the rubble with his eyes. They had been dragged… Cloud.<br/><br/>The break in the rain had been god-sent to both him and Kunsel. It washed away footprints and scents quickly and the Alphas had been struggling to keep up with Cloud with the wind.<br/>Cloud was in control of this storm and it could only be stopped by his power. Usually one of them would need to sit with Cloud for hours to get him to calm down enough, had he done that himself this time? How?<br/><br/>Kunsel was standing on top of the rubble. Looking back over Midgar from his vantage.<br/>The damage was superficial over all from what he could see. A few pillars looked like they needed to be checked on. But it wasn’t really in his ability to tell for sure.<br/>Looking around at the settlement in Sector Five. a few houses had lost their roofs. Trees had been uprooted. But no one seemed hurt. Kunsel was glad, he couldn't imagine Cloud ever forgiving himself if he had accidentally gotten someone killed. <br/><br/>The reaction from Cloud had been terrifying, both Alphas were shaking with their concern and desperate to find him. Zack was sniffing the air and ground again, he could track Cloud far better than Kunsel could.<br/>“Find anything?” he asked down to his friend, Zack kept sniffing.<br/><br/>“There's... <em> Something. </em> Definitely Cloud. He passed through here. But there’s something else I can't place I-” he sniffed again and grumbled. “It's familiar. Like I have a word on the tip of my tongue but can't figure it out”<br/><br/>Kunsel jumped down from his perch and sniffed the air as well. There was something, Zack was right about that. It smelt. Floral? Kunsel looked around and didn't see any flowers that would match the scent. “Was Cloud wearing perfume?”<br/><br/>“That would have washed off in the first rains he made” Zack answered, sniffing between his words.<br/><br/>Kunsel crossed his arms over his chest “Midgars got a lot of rain recently. I Hope Clouds ok…” Zack patted his shoulder comfortingly.<br/><br/>“Your eyes..?” Kunsel said as he looked at Zack;  Zacks pupils were blown out wide. They looked almost entirely black “ smell something you like?”<br/><br/>Zack lent forward and sniffed Kunsel “it's not you” he commented teasingly, Kunsel slapped his hand away from his shoulder and chuckled. Both Alphas sniffed the air again,<br/><br/>“This way” Zack pointed further into the ruins.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Cloud opened his eyes slowly, coming back into his body in pieces, he felt light. And utterly calmed.<br/><br/>“Well?” Aeriths voice came from next to him. She had moved to sit as well. Waiting for Cloud to return from the Lifestream<br/><br/>“I saw him. My Alpha.” He chuckled after he said that. Never believing he would ever say those words. He had never believed that the concept of soulmates or any of this was possible. He had never been taught that they could access the lifestream like this. He thought it would be something that would make him panic.<br/><br/>But seeing Sephiroth's face, up close. Feeling his energy. Cloud felt an utter calm and determination he had never felt before. So much of his life made sense now;<br/>He had always wanted to Join SOLDIER but never been able to answer why he needed to. He had eventually settled on the idea that it was because his best friends were doing it.<br/>But now he knew; it was because of Sephiroth. His mate had been fighting Cloud's whole life. And Cloud, subconsciously, wanted to help him. Tring to enlist into SOLDIER had been the only logical thing in his mind.<br/><br/>Aerith sat and waited. She wasn’t going to ask who it was. She hadn’t volunteered who her Mate was, that was utterly private.so she simply waited until Cloud Stood up.<br/>“He needs my help. I know why I ran away and summoned that Storm; my Mate is fighting the Fallen inside him.”<br/><br/>“You saw it?” Aerith asked as she stood as well, brushing dirt from he skirt<br/><br/>“It confronted me. It didn't want me anywhere near him, in sector 7 I felt the rush of its rage. And it forced me away” Cloud shivered “when I touched his Soul through the lifestream it appeared again. This time it relented.”<br/><br/>Aerith crossed her arms over her chest “damn.. This is tricky. Do you think he saw you in Sector 7?” she asked pensively.<br/><br/>“I have no idea” Cloud shook his head. “I was quite far from him. Do you think… I might have to Fight it?”<br/><br/>“I hope not. I don’t know of anything like this ever happening before. Ideally...erm.. If he saw you. He, hopefully, will know his mate. And it might inspire him to fight it harder.”<br/><br/>“But How do we get rid of it?” Cloud asked, Aerith could only shake her head however,<br/><br/>“Im sorry Cloud. I have no idea. I don’t even know what will happen when I meet my mate. I wish my parents could have told me more…” the two of them thought for a long time. Trying to come up with some answer.<br/><br/>“I could.. Enter the lifestream.” Aerith said slowly “it could take some time. But I might be able to talk to the Ancients. Or maybe find some other answer.”<br/><br/>Cloud nodded “it's a good start. but there's another problem too”<br/>Aerith looked puzzled<br/><br/>“Aerith you and I are the only ones who know the truth. The whole world has been taught that Omegas can only be with Omegas. I'm pretty sure there are laws in place too. Our Alphas could reject us because of that fact.  hypothetically; If my Mate did see me, and the Fallen inside him doesn't try to kill me outright, how can i explain it to him. Or get him to understand the concept. I’d be asking him to break the law, and potentially throw away everything he had built. I wasn’t willing to accept it, at first. It took entering the Lifestream to know for sure.”<br/><br/>Cloud ran his hand through his head the wet dirt on his fingers leaving a lovely dark streak of muck in his blonde locks. “I just.. Don’t know how to do this”<br/><br/>“Maybe… you are thinking about it too much?” Aerith offered “ you don’t know what he will do; There is just as much a chance that he sees you and dramatically pulls you into the hottest kiss of your life and sweeps you away to a happily ever after as there is that  this, malevolent, Fallen thing inside him breaks free and cuts you in half”<br/><br/>“You really know how to comfort people,” Cloud answered her dryly.<br/>“But.. I suppose you’re right.”<br/><br/>“Yep, you just gotta hope it's the former of the two.” Aerith giggled.<br/><br/>Cloud smiled and huffed his own laugh. He still partially didn’t believe what was happening. He was wet through, shaking, exhausted, and considering his destiny with a very powerful warrior that probably didn't even know his name.<br/><br/>Aerith looked to the large door to the church lifting her head a little as if she had caught a scent. She turned back to Cloud and grinned<br/>“I think it's going to all end up alright. Whatever will be, will be.” her charm was infectious. And Cloud couldn't help returning the smile she gave him.<br/><br/>“Spike!” Cloud turned around when he heard his  nickname from outside. He looked back to Aerith to see that her smile had only grown. But was now twinged with an excited nervousness as she sorted her hair and brushed her fiddled with her dress again.<br/><br/>“Spike?!” the call came again and Cloud couldn’t help the excited noise that escaped him.<br/><br/>“Really?” he asked Aerith “Really, really?”  Aerith nodded.<br/>“I saw this,” she said with nervous excitement.<br/><br/>Cloud turned back to the door and stepped forward a little “In here Zack” he called back to his Best friend. The reaction was almost instant. Zack ran through the doors opening both of them  as if they weren’t even in his way.<br/><br/>“Cloud! I found you! Hey Sel I found him!”  he called back behind him and marched into the church “Man, Spike you have no idea how worried I was I... thought..that.-” his voice drifted off and his steps slowed the further he got into the Church, until Aerith was clear in his line of sight.<br/><br/>Zack froze up. His eyes were wide and it was like he forgot that Cloud was even there. Especially when the blonde Omega stood aside entirely. Allowing Zack a completely unobstructed view of Aerith.<br/><br/>“I-... who...are ...you?” Zacks words were broken. He felt drawn to this woman next to Cloud, this Omega. He felt a wave of emotions that he didn't even realise had been pent up.<br/>He had been relieved to see Cloud. but it was like something even greater had been released from his chest, a pressure that had been building his whole life. He felt his eyes sting and he took another shaky step forward<br/><br/>Aerith looked to Cloud nervously for a moment. Almost as if she were asking permission to move. “H-hello” she said softly.<br/><br/>Zack looked like he could have fallen over at the sound of her voice “hello” he answered back, dazed.<br/><br/>“I'm Aerith. It's nice to finally meet you..” she finished.<br/><br/>Zack huffed and put his hands over his mouth like he was about to cry “Aerith” he repeated<br/><em> “Aerith” </em> the name felt so right on his lips. So perfect to say. “Aerith I… I- I know you”  he took a few more steps closer <em> “I know you” </em> he said again<br/><br/>“I know you too,... Zack” Aerith moved to him. And took his hands in hers “I waited a really long time”  Zack let out a sob and  finally pulled the small Omega into a mighty hug, he pressed his face into her shoulder and everything fell into place around them.Things he didn't even realise were wrong were made right. Little aches all over his body were gone. The stress he had felt. The cold from the rain. None of it mattered, then they crumpled to the floor together. Hugging one another as close as they could.<br/><br/>Cloud stepped back closer to the door of the church. He felt his own heart swell at the sight.<br/>Was this… what it was meant to be like? He wondered. His meeting, if he could call it that, with Sephiroth had been a violent one. When he saw the General again- When they finally meet face to face will they fall into one another like Zack and Aerith? He hoped so. He wanted this too.<br/><br/>If he had any lingering doubts about the idea of mates, and destiny. They were gone. Washed away at the sight of his best friend crying by just saying his soulmate's name for the first time. Aerith had waited her whole life for this moment and she practically melted into Zacks arms.<br/><br/>“Cloud?” Cloud turned around and saw Kunsel at the bottom of the stairs leading to the Church. He didn’t want to disturb Zack or Aerith so he went down to meet his other friend. Pulling the Alpha into a hug, which Kunsel accepted readily.<br/><br/>“Hey, Sel. I'm sorry I ran away like I did.” Cloud said into the man's shoulder “something happened and I … didn’t know how to handle it. But I’m ok now. I'm sorry about the storm”<br/>Kunsel rubbed his back and released a sigh of relief he had been holding in.<br/><br/>“It's ok Bud.” he said “I'm glad you are ok. Can you tell me what happened?” Cloud pulled back and shook his head<br/>“It's… tricky. Omega stuff.” he glanced away. How could he explain this to his friend. He imagined, from the reaction Zack had had with Aerith, that He would be easy to convince but Kunsel, as far as Cloud was aware, didn’t have a Mate made for him by the lifestream.  Would he so readily accept it?<br/><br/>He felt a gentle hand reach under his chin  and lift his gaze to meet Kunsels.<br/>“You know, Bud, if there is anything you are scared of. Or worried about you can tell me” the Alpha said honestly “I’ll always look out for you. Zack too. But I won't push if you can't tell us. We can just come up with something fun to tell Rufus and everyone else back at HQ”<br/>Cloud felt fuzzy and warm at Kunsels acceptance. Kunsel never pushed him for answers. He was so easy. So gentle. “I was just so worried about you.. I feel like we failed you…” Kunsels hand started to shake and his calmness lifted and tears started to fall freely from his emerald eyes.<br/><br/>Cloud didn’t hesitate and pulled Kunsel down into a tight hug.<br/>“You never failed me. You’re my brother. You and Zack, you have done so much for me. And I'm so sorry” he held Kunsel, using his power to help him calm the Alpha, until Kunsel stopped crying. He never let up the hug however, needing the contact as much as Kunsel did. Just enjoying the quiet moment for a while.<br/><br/>They couldn't stay there forever though. And Kunsel eventually pulled away.<br/>“So where is Zack? Is he slacking off again?” Kunsel teased<br/><br/>Cloud hesitated in answering “in the church. He made a friend”<br/><br/>Kunsel sniffed and said “Did he find another Dog?”<br/>Cloud chuckled. “No. but it's something special for Zack. I don’t want to interrupt him.”<br/><br/>“What a polite way of saying we should get lost.”<br/><br/>Cloud  laughed and shook his head “I should wait around. I have something I need to do. Could you go back and tell the others everything is ok?” he asked. Kunsel sighed and looked up to the church again.<br/><br/>“I guess I will just ask Zack about it later~” he grabbed Clouds arm, before the Omega could pull away “come ’ere” he said w playfully.<br/><br/>He pulled Cloud in to press their foreheads together, like Angeal had done to him that morning. It was such a sweet, Alpha thing to do. A very basic, comforting, move, letting Cloud know they were a team. Family. Cloud found himself wondering faintly if Sephiroth would ever give him head boops too. And his stomach fluttered.<br/><br/>“I’ll see you later Bud. keep Zack out of trouble” Kunsel said finally  as he ran off waving behind him. Cloud waved after him, and went back into the church.<br/><br/>He crept in, not wanting to disturb Zack and Aerith but found they hadn’t moved an inch. Zack held Aerith against his body protectively and she accepted it as her due.<br/>When Cloud got closer Zack glanced up with a dazed, happy expression<br/>“Hey Spike” his voice sounded lost “what, exactly is happening? Not that I am complaining but..” Aerith laughed, her body shaking against him until she pulled away<br/><br/>“I think Aerith should explain. I don’t even know most of it”  Cloud said sitting back in the old pew. Aerith nodded and stood, dragging Zack back up with her.<br/><br/>“How do I know you?” Zack asked her.<br/><br/>“because I was made for you” she said simply “we are Soulmates.”<br/><br/>“But.. you’re an Omega” Zack said with a frown creasing his face, his brows knotting together.  He looked to Cloud. “Omegas.. Can’t be with other types of people can they?”<br/><br/>Cloud sighed and looked to Aerith. It took them around an hour to explain it to Zack to a point where he understood and agreed with them. At that point he and Aerith had moved to sit on another pew opposite of Cloud. He was amazed by how easily they seemed to share the space, and he said as much.<br/><br/>“Think about it Zack, you have never met Aerith before. You have never been attracted to an Omega before, yet here you are. You share the space with her like you have been together for years” Zack looked down at Aerith. Where she was tucked against him. His arm is protectively around her. She looked at him and smiled, Zack blushed<br/><br/>“I guess so. Man, this is weird, I feel like I should have taken you to dinner first” Aerith giggled<br/>“I like dinner. We can still date like other people do Zack, we don’t even have to be romantically involved right now. I think my parents knew each other for a while before they did anything about it”<br/><br/>“You sure?” Zack sounded unconvinced<br/><br/>“Yep. I’m just happy being able to be near you” Aerith said.<br/>The Alpha relaxed and lent down to nuzzle Aeriths cheek<br/><br/>“Do Kunsel and Cloud have mates too?” he asked when he pulled away<br/><br/>“We don’t know about Kunsel… I hope so” Cloud answered “but ...erm” he felt suddenly embarrassed his cheeks started to tint a deep shade of red<br/>“I know who my mate is” he said and cleared his throat awkwardly “I had to enter the lifestream to find out for sure.”<br/><br/>“Who is it?” Zack asked, learning forward.<br/><br/>“Erm… it's ahh-”<br/><br/>“Cloud doesn’t have to tell us who it is,” Aerith announced. “It's deeply personal. I didn’t tell him you were mine, Zack” Zack sat back and nodded accepting that answer.<br/><br/>“I do know he needs my help though, he’s… Falling” Cloud said  he knew the reaction he would get from Zack then. And he felt very small when then Alpha leapt up. His eyes burning, and his pupils were like daggers in his eyes<br/><br/>“Your mate is a Fallen?!” every protective instinct in him roaring to life.<br/>“No!” Cloud said defensively “he’s on the Edge of Falling, he needs my help. I already met the Beast inside him. It was what made me summon that storm today it was trying to scare me off”<br/><br/>Zack looked ready to kill and Aerith  had no choice but to duck away. Choosing to stand with Cloud “Zack” she implored “its ok. Please calm down”<br/><br/>“The beast is one in the same with the Alpha, Aerith. Clouds in danger!” Zack said. Cloud stood up then shaking his head<br/><br/>“No it's not!” he yelled fighting back against the overpowering Alpha energy that had filled the church<br/><br/>“the Fallen is like… like.- A demon, it possesses Alpha I’m sure of it! It's not a part of him. just like it wouldn't be a part of you! I saw the one inside of him! He’s fighting it every day and it knew if I got close it would lose, So it lashed out, But when I touched his soul through the life stream and it appeared to me again and I beat it that time”<br/><br/>“It's still too dangerous Spike” Zack shook his head  and he grabbed Cloud by his shoulders.<br/><br/>“Please Zack. you have to trust me” Zack studied Clouds expression and glanced to Aerith “I have to try.” Cloud said.  Aerith put her hands on Zack just gently and he released Cloud, as she forced her way into hugging him again. Zack neve broke eye contact with his Friend<br/><br/>“If he so much as snarls at you I will kill him” he announced. “You come to me if anything happens Spike”<br/><br/>“Zack” Aerith looked up at her Mate “if this works we might have found a way to save Gaia. to stop the Fallen and prevent Omega from dying out” she reached up and touched his cheek gently “ Me and you.. Cloud and his Mate. we are the start of something big”  Zack looked down at her and sighed. He fell back to the pew taking Aerith with him so she sat on his lap.<br/><br/>“I'm sorry” he told her. His mind was reeling even while she rubbed his chest to comfort him. He kept staring at Cloud, at his oldest and dearest Friend. Cloud said that he made the storm because of the Fallen, because of the beast inside his mate.<br/><br/>There were so many Alpha in Sector 7 when the storm hit. When Cloud ran off. It could have been any one  of them. Couldn’t it?<br/><br/>Zack tried to remember back to the chaos earlier that day. Had anything else happened? Did anything stick out?<br/><br/>The three of them sat in silence for a long time, Aerith and Zack still refused to leave one another and Cloud felt utterly drained from the day.<br/>Cloud had even realised he had dozed off until he felt a gentle shake on his arm<br/><br/>“Cloud?” Aerith said gently “it's evening, and I need to head home before it's too late” Cloud mumbled  yeah and stood up rubbing his eyes.<br/><br/>“Zacks already said he will walk me home. You can come too obviously. So you can head back to sector 7 together” Cloud needed and looked over at Zack who was already getting his sword ready at his back.<br/><br/>“Yep!” the Alpa chirped happily “I’ll protect you both” <br/>Cloud nodded too exhausted to make a quip back about not needing protection.<br/>And he watched silently as Zack and Aerith walked a little ahead of him to her house. Cloud enjoyed the walk. The air was warm again even with the darker sky and listening to his friends laugh  and dance around together. Splashing into puddles and giggling like children lifted his aching heart.<br/><br/>He kept trying to imagine himself and Sephiroth in Zack and Aeriths boots. But it was too difficult to imagine. He kept seeing the shadow floating near them. Cloud knew that he wouldn't have it nearly as easy as Zack and Aerith did. It was completely new territory for all of them.<br/><br/>Cloud ended up having to drag Zack away from Aeriths house, they had stood for a long while, hugging being all cutesy, both Cloud and Elmyra,  Aeriths adopted Mother,  rolled their eyes at the scene.<br/><br/>And the entire way back to Sector 7 Zack acted like a puppy, explaining to Cloud how pretty Aerith was, how nice she smelt.  How sweet her voice was. All things that Cloud knew .<br/>“Do you think we should Tell Angeal? I usually tell him everything” Zack asked,  Cloud looked thoughtful for a moment.<br/>“Maybe go light on the Details first, feel him out and see what his opinion is. We have to be careful Zack. you especially now, Aerith and I have a level of protection. But you could be punished"<br/><br/>Zack calmed down somewhat after Cloud spoke. The bounce in his step leveling out.<br/>“Kinda messed up that we live this way. because of some mistakes ages ago. I mean imagine all the Omega that died because they never found their mate?”<br/><br/>“Yeah”<br/><br/>“We can fix this, you’ll lead Shinra eventually. You can change the laws” Zack said confidently<br/><br/>“It wouldn't be that easy. I’d need the full support from the Board. And the people in Midgar. We’d need to show everyone first. But that could be dangerous. Zack, if it goes wrong. If we mess up. Me and Aerith could be locked away, you  and - and my Mate, you’ll be castrated or executed.” The laws regarding Omegas were strict. Anyone caught ‘interfering’ with one was punished severely.<br/><br/>“Let's  just get back for now..” Cloud said trying to not think about it all. He was already so exhausted.<br/><br/>It was dark and Sector 7 was quiet when they returned. You’d never have guessed about the turmoil that had happened later that day. At least until you made it to the Main town square and road.<br/><br/>It seemed The Silver Garrison had left, but there was a small company of Shinra SOLDIERs waiting for them led by Angeal.<br/>He shook his head when he saw the pair.<br/><br/>Zack stepped in front of Cloud “General I-”<br/><br/>“Don’t Zackary” Angeal held out his hand and looked past his Son to Cloud<br/>“What happened?”<br/><br/>Cloud swallowed the bile rising his throat, and steeled himself “we-we found Sahagin. I was the one to bring it down sir. But I couldn't kill it. So Zack finished the job”<br/><br/>Angeal rubbed his chin with a gloved hand. “ I guess that explains the <em> first </em> storm that formed, inexplicably, over this Sector earlier today” his gaze was like ice.<br/>“Zack allowed you to put your life on the line. Against my direct orders”<br/><br/>“No!” Cloud objected “the Sahagin found me! Zack had nothing to do with it”<br/><br/>“Ok.” the General said. Calmly then he added “and what about the second storm? The one that tore up half of Midgar!” he raised his voice as he spoke this time. And gestured towards the plates above them.<br/>“Do you two have any idea how much trouble you are in?”<br/><br/>“..Dad” Zack started for the first time calling him his father while they were in uniform “Dad, listen you don’t understand-”<br/><br/>“What don’t I understand. I gave you the simplest of order; to keep Cloud safe. And somehow, <em> somehow- </em> you drag him into a mess that caused him to trigger a Maelstrom, so large, it engulfed the entire City.” Angeal ran his hand through his own hair. and sighed. the pain on his face was clear as he turned away from them “I'm sorry Zack.” <br/>Before Zack could question what was happening, or move. Two Turks that had been to the side stepped forward and put him in handcuffs<br/>“Wha- No Dad!”  Angeal had already turned away unable to even watch.<br/><br/>Cloud was  horrified.  He pushed one of the Turks away from Zack and turned to punch the other, but his hand was caught in the Air, Tseng had grabbed him from the other side and pulled him away from Zack<br/><br/>“You have already undergone too much stress today.” he said softly “please, calm down Cloud.”<br/><br/>“No! You don’t understand Zack and Kunsel did nothing wrong!”<br/><br/>“had your little adventure gone off without a hitch, I might have agreed with you. But you triggered a major storm in  this one sector, and as the General said, another that  engulfed the city. It was Lieutenant Zackary and Lieutenant Kunsels job to ensure your safety and prevent this from happening”  Tseng said coolly as he dragged Cloud to a waiting car.<br/><br/>Cloud struggled but he was too tired already and Tsengs grip was too tight<br/>Another of the Turks, Rude, stepped forward. Thats when Cloud saw Kunsel already in handcuffs and his head bowed.  Being dragged along with him;<br/>“Lieutenant Zackary Hewley, Lieutenant Kunsel Freeman. You are both under arrest for recklessly endangering the life of  an Omega and future President of Shinra. You will be stripped of your rank and held for further questioning until Trial-”<br/><br/>Cloud didn't hear the rest of it as he was thrown into the back of the car.  The last thing he saw was the despair on his friends faces.<br/><br/>It was all his fault.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I love Cloud, Zack and Kunsel, they are idiots but my idiot in this story.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Shattering Glass</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> It had been a week since Zack and Kunsel had been arrested, a week since Cloud had been put under confinement in his apartment in  the Neo-Shinra Tower.<br/>He hadn’t gone quietly. The second Tseng put him in the back of the car and he fully registered what had happened to them Cloud started to scream. He kicked out. Cracking a car window and nearly causing Tseng to crash.<br/><br/>He knew his brother in-law could do little about it. He and Rufus feared using any kind of Force on Cloud, in case he suddenly dropped dead.<br/>which meant that, no matter how much he wanted too, Tseng couldn’t sedate Cloud while he was thrashing about in the back of his car.<br/>Cloud had been made to pay for it, however, Tseng and his men hadn’t been gentle when they dragged him from the car again and up to his rooms.<br/><br/>Cloud had trashed the place there as well, he refused to sleep and eat. He made sure everyone on the floor he lived on knew he was unhappy.<br/>Thankfully it hadn’t rained over the city. But the large ominous cloud that rumbled with lightning let everyone know something was up; He’d heard from Reno that Rufus was forced to make a statement about the weather and His presentation to Midgar had been postponed.<br/><br/>Now though, he was tired. Cloud had sat nearly motionless in the dark of his bedroom for almost an entire day. He’d only gotten up when his body forced him to pee.<br/>Reno came in regularly Cloud assumed it was hourly; To check his vitals and to try and get him to eat something. Sometimes the redhead sat with him and talked about stuff. But Cloud had no mind to hear it.<br/><br/>Clouds PHS  buzzed, but he ignored it. It was Angeal again. Cloud didn't want to hear his voice. The only good thing that came from it all was Cloud had been given time to process everything that had happened.<br/><br/>He had checked his books on Omegas and history. Ticked off all the contradictions, he wrote his own notes and highlighted passages he could talk about with Aerith.<br/>He couldn't check the internet, he knew Rufus was watching every move and if he suddenly started searching about 'Fallen Alphas' or Sephiroth there would be a lot more questions than he could answer.<br/><br/>Sephiroth.. Cloud wondered if he knew. If the Alpha had indeed spotted him, in the crowd.<br/>He was pretty sure the Alpha was still in the city. Possibly  even in the tower. Could he feel Cloud was close? Cloud wasn’t sure if he was actually ‘feeling’ Sephiroth or just imagining it.<br/><br/>“Reno says you haven’t eaten anything today?” Tseng stood in the doorway, Cloud ignored him “you must eat Cloud. Rufus is worried”<br/><br/>“If he is worried then he can come see me himself” Cloud hissed at Tseng finally looking up at the Beta.<br/><br/>“I have” said a smooth  familiar voice from behind the Turk.  Cloud jerked and stood up </p><p>“You really need to stop this temper tantrum little brother. Half of Midgar is terrified  and you’re not eating or sleeping, you haven't bathed since you were brought home”<br/><br/>“What a kind way of showing you care”<br/><br/>“I do care” Rufus said matter of factly<br/><br/>“Then release Zack and Kunsel and let me out of this shithole!” Cloud grumbled. Rufus just crossed his arms and stepped further into the bedroom<br/><br/>“You know I cannot do that. They put your life at risk. Against their orders”<br/><br/>“What orders”  Cloud spat<br/><br/>“Orders General Hewley and I gave them!” Rufus bit back “do you really think we didn’t know about your little game Cloud? You have been so insistent about joining SOLDIER that when Angeal came to me with Zack’s plan  I agreed, hoping it would tide you over, on the condition you remained safe and out of harm's way. “<br/><br/>“ We were explicit.  Angeal even did a sweep of Sector 7 the night before you went on Patrol.” Cloud stepped back, shocked at the revelation<br/>Rufus continued on “there had been an entire Nest of Sahagin under the Sector. They were destroyed. One must have slipped through the net.”<br/><br/>“Did Zack know” Cloud asked in disbelief,<br/><br/>“No. Not to the full extent. He didn't know I was aware. Neither did Kunsel”<br/><br/>“Then you set them up to fail!  They didn’t lead the Sahagin to me. I was meant to stand back and let them deal with it. But it came to me forcing me to fight. You cannot hold the actions of a monster against them” Cloud yelled, all his frustrations bleeding out at his brother. The clouds outside rolled angrily in response.<br/><br/>“And what about the Maelstrom that tore up our city Cloud!” Rufus yelled back “do you have any idea how much damage was done! How many thousands of Gil it will cost to fix.  How many restoration projects were set back by months, possibly years, because of it! And that's not even mentioning the tens of thousands of people you three put at risk! All because you are so insistent on playing SOLDIER  so yes, Cloud, I hold it against them.”<br/><br/>Cloud shrunk back then, he had put a lot of people in danger, he could acknowledge that fact. His fear had caused so much pain to the city. And even now. His frustration was swirling above the city. But that wasn’t Zack of Kunsel’s fault and he said as much.<br/>“The storm was not their fault they had nothing to do with it!”<br/><br/>“Then why?” Rufus sounded calm again now, even concerned, he stepped forward reaching for Clouds hand “what happened to make you summon a storm like that?” he asked. Cloud couldn't look him in the eye “please Cloud. If- if it truly Wasn’t anything to do with  Zack or Kunsel then tell me. And I will do my best to help them.”<br/><br/>“You’d punish them any anyway. Needlessly. because of the Sahagin”<br/><br/>“They should have been there to protect you but their sentence would be lighter if you tell me how they weren't involved with the maelstrom. What caused it?” Rufus pleaded. But Cloud only shook his head. He couldn't say anything about Sephiroth. If Rufus suspected the Alpha was about to Fall, Cloud was sure his brother would have his mate put down. But he couldn’t vaguely mention the Fallen creature that lashed out either, every Alpha in the area would be rounded up and investigated just in case.<br/><br/>“They shouldn't be punished at all” Cloud yanked his hands away from his brother.<br/><br/>Rufus sighed “I won't repeat myself again they failed, they should have protected you,”<br/><br/><em> “I am not made of </em> <b> <em>GLASS!</em> </b> <em> ” </em> Cloud screamed at his brother. And lightning struck the tower causing the lights to blink out for a second. Thunder roared around them, almost amplifying Cloud's voice. Tseng instinctively went to try and protect Rufus who took a few steps away from Cloud.<br/><br/>“ you act like I will just drop dead at any moment, but I won't! The only thing killing me is being trapped here. You wont even let me breathe and now you’re punishing my friends because of something I did” Cloud spat  the words at him the flashes from the dry storm raging around them.<br/><br/>“You think you are protecting me but you're not. What you are doing is wrong. Now release my friends!” Cloud yelled. Rufus stumbled; he had never seen Cloud like this before. His little brother had always been so quiet and calm. So gentle. For the first time Rufus actually did doubt his actions.  He had no idea Cloud could do this. He couldn't even remember their mother having this much power. They needed to calm Cloud down. But Rufus had no idea how.<br/><br/>He heard Tseng behind him on the radio. But Rufus’ attention was solely on his brother.<br/>More thunder rolled over them and lightning struck the tower again.<br/>“Cloud, please try to calm down”<br/><br/>“Release my Friends...”<br/><br/>“..Cloud-”<br/><br/><b> <em>“NOW!” </em> </b>  the glass from the window shattered inward and finally Cloud gasped and stumbled away.  Back against the opposite wall. The storm outside immediately calmed back to its usual rolling black clouds.  The room fell utterly silent.as all three men stared out the broken window.<br/><br/>Rude, Reno and Angeal all ran in and stopped abruptly when they saw the damage.<br/>Angeal was the first to recover “is.. Everyone alright?”  Rufus nodded dumbly.<br/><br/>“C-contact  Medical;  I want to have Cloud's heart rate and blood pressure taken.” Clouds heard jerked around suddenly to face his brother. “just - just to make sure you are safe. You have…”<br/><br/>“Never done this before” Cloud finished looking down  at his hands again, his fingertips tingling with energy, Rufus nodded.<br/><br/>“Anything else boss?” Reno asked still staring out the window<br/><br/>“Question Zack and Kunsel about their knowledge of events last week, then… release them” Cloud looked back up to Rufus “with their rank and records clean. I think.. I did make a, minor, misstep”<br/><br/>Rude left the room already on the radio to get someone to clean up the mess, And Reno went to sort Zack and Kunsel out after he had a few quiet words with Tseng.<br/>“Rufus..?” Cloud asked.<br/>“I still need to know what  caused the Maelstrom last week Cloud. But this… I can see <em>this</em> is my fault. Maybe you are right…”  a tear slipped down Clouds face at the admission.<br/><br/>“Well.. one good thing came from this at least” Angeal said as he stepped closer to the edge and held out his hand. “You're getting better at controlling your power” he pulled his hand back and showed it to Rufus and Tseng revealing that it was bone dry.<br/><br/>Angeal went over to Cloud “c’mon Kid” he said softly putting his hand on his shoulder. “Let's go somewhere with slightly less shattered glass to talk, maybe get some food in you.” Cloud went where Angeal directed him, when they passed Rufus and Tseng. Angeal let Tseng take over leading Cloud for a moment while he stopped at Rufus’ side, the President of Shinra tried to thank Angeal but the SOLDIER just shook his head.<br/><br/>“We made a mistake. We have misjudged Cloud entirely and betrayed his Trust,”<br/><br/>“I’ll fix it,” Rufus answered.<br/><br/>“You’ll try. but It's down to him to forgive us”<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Elsewhere in Neo-Shinra tower another storm was brewing, and had been for some time.<br/>Sephiroth paced his own living quarters, but unlike Clouds, his remained untouched and polished, in fact he hadn’t even unpacked since he arrived back in Midgar.<br/><br/>His debrief had been postponed with everyone riled up about the Maelstrom, his men sat in limbo unsure if they would be redeployed back to Kalm or sent out into the city to help the Red and Black Garrisons clean up- at least his wounded were being taken care of properly. That was the only saving grace of this whole mess.<br/><br/>He hadn’t even been told what was happening.<br/>He knew the basics; Midgar had been beset by a series of  storms triggered by an Omega under intense stress, the last of which had nearly crippled the city. He looked out the window toward the dark sky, the current left the air charged but so far there had been no high winds or rain, but there was no rest from the relentless roll of thunder.<br/><br/>This entire event was unprecedented, someone had royally screwed up.<br/>Sephiroth sat at his table, if he paced anymore he was sure he would burn a hole through the floor, His back and stomach ached  and his head was beginning to hurt too. Another attack. He thought. So soon after the last.<br/><br/>“Not again” he groaned clutching his head, they had been getting worse. Usually it was just a sudden burst of pain. But since returning to Midgar his ‘episodes’ had taken an ugly turn. Feeling more like food poisoning. He felt hot and sick and angry.<br/>A cold sweat  broke out over his body and he shivered. and he bounced his leg irritably to try and distract himself from it all.<br/><br/>The thunder roared louder and lightning struck the tower. The Omega. The Omega was in distress again.<br/>Sephiroth felt himself stand but had no real thought of what he was going to do. He had only seen a glimpse of the young man Zack had run after; Blonde hair and pale skin under an infantry uniform.  But it gnawed at Sephiroth's mind and it plagued his sleep. He knew that had been the Omega in distress, he didn’t know how he knew entirely or  where the Omega  was.  But Sephiroth knew he needed to find him. To put a stop to this madness… to… help him.<br/><br/>Another wave of sickness and pain struck him. And he felt himself growl in anger he clutched at his chest and coughed violently.  More lightning struck the tower and he fought the pain, stumbling towards his door, he had to find that Omega. The Omega would stop the pain.<br/><br/>His body was wracked with agony again,  and  Sephiroth’s roar of anger and anguish was almost drowned out by thunder<br/><b>“</b> No <b>ooOO</b> <b> <em>OO</em> </b> <b>!” </b>  he heard himself say, his voice cracked into something unnatural. He had to.. Go to the Omega he had to-<br/><br/>- No. No- He had to stay away. Every time he thought of that blonde hair he felt another wave of pain, it was like the Omega was causing it? The thought trickled into his mind like a poison. It was the Omegas fault?<br/><br/>No, no Omegas didn’t cause pain. They healed. But this one was attacking the city- but he was scared and angry - And - and Sephiroth had these attacks long before he knew about- more pain and Sephiroth vomited on the cold floor.  His conflicting thoughts finally calmed as his vision faded to black.<br/><br/>When Sephiroth woke again. He was laying face first in his own vomit. Lovely. He thought as he tried to pull himself up, and gagged again, he wasn’t fond of such messes and the experience was entirely unpleasant.<br/><br/>His head felt clearer though, and the pain was gone, thankfully. Sephiroth stood on shaky legs and looked out the window. The sky was clearer, still dark but the thunder had stopped.<br/>Good, he thought. The Omega was calm. It left him feeling strangely placated. The need to find the Omega had lessened greatly, it was still there, like an ache that refused to dissipate,  he made a note in his head to talk to Angeal about the whole affair, and get some real answers.<br/><br/>First though he needed to bathe, and to clean up. He pulled the hair that had stuck to his face away from him in disgust and pointedly tried to ignore the amount of black feathers he saw around him while he walked to the bathroom.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Kunsel hadn’t seen Zack so over agitated before, he watched his friend pace their cell, and yelling at the guards to release them, Zack didn’t touch his food,  and, currently, he was chewing on his finger nails like a madman.<br/><br/>He tried not to think about the worst possibility; that this whole affair had driven Zack to the edge, and what he was currently witnessing was the first signs of a Falling. Kunsel suppressed his shudder- No he couldn’t think like that. Something else must have happened. Something to do with that Church..<br/><br/>“Hey, Zack” He said  while carefully, slowly, reaching forward to pull Zack's chewed up fingers from his mouth. “If you keep this up you’ll have no fingers left” he tried to say halfheartedly but Zack didn’t look up at him.<br/><br/>“What” Zack asked  only a little while after hearing Kunsels voice “I- What, sorry, Sel I just-”<br/><br/>“That worried about Cloud?” Zack shook his head at the question.<br/><br/>“No- no, gods, he can take care of himself better than either of us can - it's.. Something else, like an itch.” Zack stood and started to pace<br/>“I feel like I've been away for too long- I need to go back to Sector 5. I need to- to..” he shook his head again unable to finish. He and Cloud had agreed to keep it secret. They had no idea how anyone would react.<br/><br/>“Was it something to do with the church?” Kunsel asked “I don’t think I've seen you this bad before, Zack. you can tell me if somethings wrong”<br/><br/>“Nothing is wrong- and everything is wrong. Agh fuck!” Zack grumbled “what if something is happening to her? I didn’t even get her  Phone number. Damn it!” Zack was fidgeting again, irritably<br/><br/>“Her?” Kunsel raised a brow “you met a Girl?”<br/><br/>“Not just a Girl, Sel, <em> the </em> Girl!” Zack messed his hair up, tugging at it in frustration “I can’t.. Tell you everything but I just.. Need to get back to her. I need to make sure she is safe.”<br/><br/>Kunsel watched his friend, he couldn’t imagine getting this distressed over a girl he just met.  Zack had never been one to chase skirts or want to be romantic with anyone, he couldn't even remember if Zack had ever had a girlfriend before.<br/>He wasn’t sure if Zacks actions now were healthy, especially with a girl he just met, but he couldn’t let his friend just stew in his anxiety like he was. Kunsel sifted his hand through his hair with a sigh.<br/><br/>“Tell me about her” he asked finally. Motioning for Zack to sit with him.<br/>The other Alpha hesitated. considering if he thought it was a good idea.<br/>Finally though it seemed he settled, and joined Kunsel on the bench of the cell.<br/><br/>“Ok so.. This girl. She’s called Aerith-”<br/>Kunsel listened as Zack explained how this girl had calmed Cloud and took care of him. And how Zack had felt an immediate connection “it felt like I knew her my whole life. Saying her name for the first time felt like- like.. I can’t even describe it. There isn’t a way i can describe this feeling I had when i first saw her and said her name. Everything was just made right by it” Zack looked off with a dreamy expression.<br/><br/>“Oh Sel, you should see her. Aerith is so pretty, her voice, her hair,  her eyes, her <em> scent-” </em> Kunsel recalled the faint Floral smell they had both noticed while looking for Cloud, one neither could place but Zack described as familiar.<br/>“I can’t wait to get to know her, Sel. I hope you meet someone like her too”<br/><br/>Kunsel smiled at the exuberance of his friend. He did want that.  He even tried to imagine what his someone would be like; Slowly the features began to form in is mind, a face, a very familiar face.He imagined  blond hair and blue eyes. For a moment he drifted, happily, in his imagination-.<br/><br/>-Nope. No. Mentally, he kicked himself, forcing that image out of his mind.<br/>He forced himself to focus on Zack again. He couldn't think about that.<br/><br/>Zack omitted as much as he could from his experience with Aerith, it hurt to lie to Kunsel so much. But they couldn't risk too many people knowing and, truthfully, he feared his Best Friends reaction.<br/><br/>The pair were interrupted from their conversations a little while later by Reno.<br/>“Hey guys” he said from the other side of the bars to their cell. “Good news; the Boss has said you’re free to go. With rank intact and all. Fancy that. Only caveat, is that we need to know what caused that Maelstrom. You tell me and bam, the gate opens.”<br/><br/>The Two Alphas looked at one another, then back to the Beta the other side of the bars.<br/>“We...don’t actually know what caused it,” Zack lied.<br/><br/>Reno raised an eyebrow. Seemingly not believing him. Turks were trained to be as perceptive as possible. To doubt everything, Reno went to turn away as he spoke again;<br/>“Oh well in that case, you’ll just  have to stay here-”<br/><br/>“Wait” Kunsel interjected “Zacks right we have no idea what was going on with Cloud, but- I, kinda, have a theory”<br/><br/>Reno turned back to the pair in the cell, curiously. Kunsel continued,<br/>“He was already high strung from the Sahagin fight; we had planned for him to hold back and only strike if he saw an opening but it was down to us to deal with the monster, if we found it. But it found Cloud first. He fought  pretty damn hard,  by the time we got there he'd already had the Monster pretty much down. It was just finishing it that he couldn’t do.”<br/><br/>“That's the first storm,” Reno noted.<br/><br/>“Yeah he was pretty shaken up by it. We had calmed him down, had taken him to a bar. Then the Silver Garrison arrived back in Midgar” Reno turned back to the Cell completely, more interested now. He had heard about  Sephiroth and his men coming back to Midgar but hadn’t seen it himself.<br/><br/>“The whole Sector was in a buzz, and we followed the crowd. But… man, it was awful; The Garrison was a mess. There were more men on stretchers and carts than walking. And there was a big pile of dead in the back of the largest cart. Even the General looked worse for wear. Zack and I immediately ran forward to see if we could help - ask the General if he needed us to do anything about the crowd or radio in if they hadn’t already-  Cloud held back in the crowd with our friends. We figured he was alright”<br/><br/>“But he wasn’t”  Reno pointed out,<br/><br/>“No. I think it was seeing all the wounded and dead.  Clouds always wanted to join SOLDIER but he had never seen what it was really like. So.. I think he just, freaked” Kunsel shrugged.<br/><br/>Zack was amazed, he hadn’t considered that angle, and had he not known the truth that would probably have been his conclusion as well. Kunsel had unknowingly given them the perfect out. Zack could have kissed him. Instead he chose to corroborate the story.<br/><br/>“...I had been thinking the same thing, Omegas are empaths by nature too. I wish I had thought about it at the time, he probably felt all the pain the wounded SOLDIERS felt!” he shuddered,<br/><br/>Kunsel nodded “add that to the stress of his first battle... I think the president can safely assume Cloud's desire to enlist has been thoroughly shaken.  Clouds probably a mess” Kunsel looked deeply concerned “how <em>is</em> he doing? ”<br/><br/>Reno shrugged. “Well.. he blew out a window with his powers. And he has hardly eaten all week. Hardly said a word either until Tseng and the Prez went to see him today.” Kunsel looked to Zack his brows knotted with worry. Reno turned back away from them and started to walk.<br/><br/>“Thanks guys. This has been a real help” he waved behind him.<br/><br/>Zack immediately ran to the bars “Hey! You promised we would be let out!”<br/><br/>“Yeah, and you will” Reno looked back “after we have spoken to General Crescent to confirm your story and after I tell the President about it in a report. - also Tseng said to let you stew in there a little while longer. - you did still fuck up after all; Allowing Cloudy to get that lovely scar on his eyebrow. You two Kids are officially grounded, at least for a few more days~” he winked at them, “C’ya”<br/><br/>Reno sauntered off, whistling a happy tune while Zack yelled after him.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. A SOLDIER.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Sorry, I know this is a little awkward, I don’t think you have ever been here without Zack, but this is the only place I know for certain that no one will be able to eavesdrop” Angeal said to Cloud in his usual calming tone.<br/><br/>The General had taken Cloud all the way to his own apartment in Neo-Shinra tower, only stopping briefly at the medical room to placate Rufus. Now though, they were alone, and Angeal was already preparing a meal for Cloud in the kitchen while the younger Man sat in the living area.<br/><br/>“I appreciate it sir” Cloud said.<br/><br/>“I’ve known you since you were a boy, and you aren't under my command. You don’t need to call me ‘Sir’ Cloud” Angeal chuckled as he came over to where Cloud was sitting, a sandwich and a Soda in hand.<br/><br/>“Thank you, … Angeal” Cloud looked at the meal in front of him but made no move to eat it, no matter how hungry he felt.<br/>“I… I’m sorry about Zack. this whole mess is my fault- I really appreciate what you did for me.”<br/><br/>“Even though I told Rufus?” Angeal asked as he sat across from Cloud.<br/><br/>“I kinda expected he would find out anyway. He is the President” Cloud shrugged. “But.. I didn’t expect I’d make such a mess of things”<br/><br/>Angeal studied the younger man for a moment, Cloud looked tired, and sad and avoided eye contact with the Alpha.<br/>“Sounds to me that you simply learned that being a SOLDIER isn’t easy. From what I have read and been told already. You did as you were told. To the best of your abilities. And I am glad to know that training you to fight paid off.”</p><p><br/>Angeal was right about that, he had learned a lot by watching Zack and Kunsel and fighting the  Sahagin. a part of him still wanted to become a SOLDIER. But the entire week had shaken him to the core. His own powers terrified him. And given what else he had learned Cloud had no idea what to do next.<br/><br/>He needed to learn more about having a Soulmate and what that entails. And how to save Sephiroth. If joining SOLDIER helped his Mate he would do so.<br/><br/>But they hadn’t even met yet.<br/><br/>“What's General Crescent like?”   he asked suddenly, looking up at Angeal. Angeal raised a brow, not expecting the change in conversation, least of all for it to be about his old Friend.<br/><br/>“Why do you ask?”<br/>“I.. saw him. When his Garrison returned. I was just curious”<br/><br/>“Right…” Angeal said, unconvinced. His gaze narrowed on his student. “As I understand it, the Silver Garrison’s arrival coincided with the Maelstrom, did something happen?”<br/><br/>“What? No, no of course not!”  the old SOLDIER stared blankly at Cloud, utterly unbelieving.<br/><br/>“So the Maelstrom was just you flexing then?”<br/><br/>Cloud blushed and looked away “I-...” what could he say? would Angeal believe him? Would he tell Rufus? It was awful. He trusted Angeal, the man had practically stepped in and raised Cloud along with Zack, even as he had to go through losing Genesis.  Cloud loved him like was his own father. And yet….<br/><br/>Cloud was so scared. He didn’t even know what to do. And he was fighting all his instinct not to start crying and beg Angeal for help, or for comfort or anything.<br/><br/>“Cloud” Angeal said. He was kneeling at the Omegas side now. With his large hand over Clouds smaller one and he brushed a stray lock of blond hair aside as he spoke,<br/>“I don’t want you to think you can’t tell me stuff, I can’t stand seeing you like this,  I can smell your misery and fear, like it's choking me. You don’t have to tell me everything but…”<br/><br/>“Angeal…” Cloud fell forward, towards his Teacher, his head landing on a strong shoulder, his own, bobbing with the sobs that threatened to escape.  Outside it started to rain again. Luckily not nearly as bad as the other times it had. Angeal glanced behind him to the window to check.  He imagined they had a lot more rain in their future.<br/><br/>Angeal held  Cloud like that for a long time, kneeling by the dinning table in his and Zacks living quarters. He cradled the young man gently and waited for Cloud to calm down enough to talk.  Angeal resisted drawing conclusions, but he could only guess that Sephiroth was involved, somehow, given Clouds question.<br/><br/>“Are you…” he heard Cloud's muffled voice against his neck, but the Omega didn’t move “are you sure.. I can tell you? You have to promise not to tell anyone Ang. please. Please don’t tell anyone. Only me and Zack know - if anyone else finds out right now. If anything happens-”<br/><br/>Angeal hushed Cloud and rocked him some more. He wasn’t sure what he could promise. But he knew already that he would not tell Rufus or Tseng. Those two at least could be left in the dark, for good, if it helped Cloud.<br/><br/>“Ok.” he said “I promise, Cloud”<br/><br/>Cloud pulled back and  looked at Angeal in the eyes. Trying to figure him out. Trying to see if he could feel any dishonesty in his Teacher. But he found nothing, Angeal watched him passively, waiting.<br/><br/>Finally Cloud stood up, and wiped his eyes. Choosing instead to sit on a more comfortable couch, the short walk giving him a moment to sort his thoughts. He was going to tell Angeal. He couldn't do this alone, and, Cloud figured, Angeal would never do anything that would risk Zacks life. If they were discovered, Aerith would be locked away, and Zack would be killed.<br/><br/>“Ok.. so… erm…” Cloud rubbed his face in his hands, the tears and the rain outside dried up. His head was pounding,<br/><br/>“When I saw the Garrison return… there was something else with them”  Cloud started carefully. Angeal sat opposite him and waited patiently, he didn’t ask anything, but he did raise an eyebrow.<br/>“It was this, awful... Thing. It overpowered everything else. All other emotions in the area, my own and from the people and SOLDIERS.  I couldn’t breath, couldn’t think or stand. It was this concentrated hate, and it was concentrated… on me. So I ran, I didn’t even realise my powers had triggered a storm, especially one so big. My only thought was to run away from that malevolence”<br/><br/>“Did you actually.. See what caused it?” Angeal asked, Cloud shook his head.<br/><br/>“It didn’t have a form.”<br/><br/>Angeal sat back with a huffed sigh, he couldn’t think of any monster that could do that. Either be invisible or be so actively malevolent. Most were unthinking creatures. Still he felt himself bristle at the idea of something, anything threatening Cloud.<br/><br/>“I didn’t even know where I was running either. Or that Zack and Kunsel were following me. I hid in the ruins within Sector 5- not that I was aware of that at the time.” Cloud continued.<br/>“That's when I met another Omega, Aerith- she found me. And calmed me down and took me to this old church she likes to hang out and tend to flowers in”<br/><br/>Cloud smiled as he thought of Aerith, the mere thought of her was calming, “she guessed I had no idea about Omegas, she’s the first one I have ever met besides my parents and they didn’t know much- Aerith told me everything we know about them, us, is a lie”<br/><br/>“How so?”<br/><br/>Cloud shrugged “she thinks it's due to a mistranslated old scripture; the ones that say only an ‘Omega can beget an Omega’.”<br/><br/>“we translated it to mean Omegas can only be with other Omegas, and through that birth more. But that's not right at all. It just means only an omega can sire or birth an Omega, we cant be born from a couple of Betas or Alphas or  a Beta and Alpha couple”<br/><br/>“You’re saying- she is saying, then, that Omegas shouldn't couple off that they should be with other designations.”  Angeal asked, leaning forward putting his arms on his knees while he clasped his hands together, so far he appeared to be withholding judgement.<br/><br/>Cloud nodded “Aerith, likened it to incest. As all Omegas are ‘Children of the Ancients’ but it's more than we <em>shouldn’t</em> be with one another, but that we <em>can’t</em> at all. That's why birth rates are dropping, we can’t repopulate.”<br/><br/>Angeal hummed, no one had considered that perspective before, that he knew of anyway.  with the laws incentive to do so was limited at best. He could see Clouds shoulders relaxing as he spoke though, this must have been weighing heavily on Cloud.<br/><br/>“There is more though-” Cloud said apprehensive “it's not just that we can be with other Designations. But.. we have to.- that's why we die so quickly. If Omegas live in misery for so long if they exist without.. Without their Soulmate. We just can’t function anymore.”<br/><br/>“Soulmate?” surely that was the stuff of fairy tales? Cloud was nodding however,<br/><br/>“Each omega has a.. Has an assigned Soulmate. An Alpha.” he rubbed his head “I don’t know if it's solely Alphas. Though, it could be Betas too… we don’t know much of anything about it. But what we do know is; every Omega has an Alpha but not every Alpha has an Omega '' Cloud paused to gauge Angeals reaction. The older Male didn’t move or say anything, but his gaze had taken a steely quality.<br/><br/>Cloud swallowed a growling lump in his throat. “The rise in Alphas Falling, is directly tied to Omegas dying. The difference in population is too great.”<br/><br/>“I didn’t believe Aerith at first. I thought she was crazy. kind, but crazy. But then she showed me how to properly access the lifestream.”<br/><br/>“You actually entered the LIfestream?”<br/><br/>Cloud nodded again “yea. It's… it's so calming.. I knew what I had to do.. Aerith helped me find my Soul mate the same way she found...Zack”<br/><br/>“Zack…” Angeal let his mouth hang open a moment, as he processed that information. Zack was… tied to an Omega?<br/><br/>“When they met. Zack just.. Knew they were meant to be together. They fell into one another and just wouldn’t let go the entire time. He said that he ‘knew her’ even though they hadn’t met before. Honestly it was quite… beautiful... If you had seen it, Angeal,  I think you would have understand”<br/><br/>Zack was tied to an Omega, was Soulmates with one… Angeal didn’t like the slowly building dread that started to grow in his stomach. If Zack was found with her….<br/>Angeal thought back for a moment, Cloud said he knew his Soulmate too...and….and he asked about Sephiroth.<br/><br/>“Sephiroth.. Is your Mate… isn’t he?” he vocalized his thoughts. And Clouds sudden blush and glance away told him everything he needed it to know.<br/>“If you don’t.. Meet and ...bond with Sephiroth. Then you will die…”<br/><br/>“But if I do… and we are discovered. Sephiroth will die.. And so will Zack then I guess Aerith and I will die anyway” Cloud confirmed and Angeal felt the cold twinge of dread course through his body. He put his head in his hands. This was bad, their laws…. Angeal remembered the times an Alpha or Beta had been executed for ‘interfering’ with an Omega before. How many of those had actually been Soulmates?<br/><br/>“It gets worse,” Cloud said after a long moment, and Angeal groaned.<br/>“The Malevolence I felt. It… was coming from Sephiroth” the cold feeling turned to solid ice in Angeals veins. he looked up with wide eyes.<br/><br/>“I confronted it in the lifestream too. The Fallen. It's not  Alphas' own nature. Its, its own entire entity, I don't know if its a manifestation of the world or something else, but it attaches itself to a Soul and eats it away until it can take over. it felt me getting too close to Sephiroth in Sector 7 and lashed out. In the lifestream it tried to hide Sephiroth's soul from me- it threatened to destroy the whole world…”<br/><br/>Angeal stood up then, much like Zack had in the church only this time Cloud felt like he couldn't fight back Angeal presence was much too large, much too powerful. But the Alpha didn’t lash out and tell Cloud to stay away from Sephiroth, instead he simply left the couch area. He paced the room quietly avoiding Cloud questioning gaze.<br/><br/>Finally he paused by a shelf and lifted a picture frame.<br/>“We Alphas... “ he began as he stroked the picture “are told that the beast in us makes us weak.. And to succumb to it makes us lower than monsters. A SOLDIERS job is to tame it. And use its strength as a weapon, To fight and protect Gaia.”<br/><br/>“When an Alpha Falls. They are shamed. No one says anything. But all Alphas consider the Fallen one weak, pathetic. A betrayal….” he set down the picture again and finally looked back to Cloud. Cloud could see it was a family portrait, one of Angeal, Genesis and Zack when he was toddler.<br/><br/>“When Genesis Fell I felt my world collapse. The man I had loved and fought beside my whole life, had let the beast overtake his soul… he was weak” Angeals voice was full of emotions. It cracked when he said<em> ‘weak’</em>  “and every other Alpha thought so. They pitied me and Zack. and they hated Genesis who betrayed them” Angeal sniffed.  And rubbed his face with one hand. His eyes looked red around the edges and tears threatened to fall. Cloud had never seen him like this.<br/><br/>“If what you are saying is true. If it's.. A separate entity that attaches itself to us. And attacks us until it controls us. Then-Then Genesis wasn’t weak. He ran to protect us. And he fought it… alone”  silence filled the room for a long moment. Cloud felt he was unable to respond to his Teacher.<br/>“ Cloud, ...<em>Thank you</em>” Angeal finally said. His voice sounded wet, and his body could no longer hold himself up. He lent against the wall and sobbed “<em>thank you.</em>” he said again.  Cloud jumped up, he had never seen Angeal like this before and his first instinct was to comfort. He ran over to his teacher and wrapped his arms around Angeal. The Alpha accepted this, and allowed their roles to reverse for the comment.<br/><br/>He had hardly ever cried over Genesis since his death, but this was relief, not grief. Genesis’ honour was intact. He had fought to the end. Angeal only wished his Husband had said something…<br/><br/>“Thank you” he said for the final time to Cloud. They had held one another for almost an hour. Angeals tears had dried and he felt the weight lift from his shoulders. He looked down at Cloud and pulled the younger man away, his steely eyes now focused on their greater task.<br/><br/>“I would.. Very much like to see this Church, and meet Aerith myself. I’d like to see her and my Son together. I think I will be able to tell, then, truly if what you say is fact.” Angeal smiled “for now I will just work on the assumption that it is”<br/><br/>Cloud grinned, relieved that Angeal believed him “you won't tell anyone?”<br/>Angeal shook his head.<br/><br/>“If I did, I would lose a dear friend and my son. This conversion doesn't leave this room.- however. Now we have more pressing matters. If this Fallen has attached itself it Sephiroth we need to find a way to save him”<br/><br/>Cloud nodded, “I think I can. It really doesn’t want me close to him. So.. I guess I just gotta get as close to him as I can. - I highly doubt what happened between Zack and Aerith will happen between me and Sephiroth though”<br/><br/>“Did Aerith explain more on Soulmates? Is there a ritual or act you have to do, like consummating the relationship for you to be truly bonded?”<br/><br/>Cloud blushed, he hadn’t considered that at all. He hadn’t even thought about what kind of conversations he would be having with Sephiroth.<br/>“Ah- I no. I don’t know? She said she will do more research within the lifestream. Where did you come up with that?”<br/><br/>Angeal Laughed “Genesis loved cringey romance novels and poetry, you’d be surprised what people will come up with. Though it has its roots in reality. Being connected; mind, body and soul is achieved at its greatest during a good old smiting”<br/>Clouds didn’t think his cheeks could get any hotter. He stepped away shaking his head.<br/><br/>He hadn’t even met Sephiroth. But the thoughts that trickled into his mind- Angeal was practically cackling behind him.<br/><br/>Finally he calmed down. “You will need to get over blushing like a virgin,if I am right”<br/><br/>“I am a virgin! And you are worse than Zack” Angeal laughed again<br/><br/>“Where do you think he learned it all-, hehe, anyway we have our objective now.” Angeal  straightened his rumbled uniform,  and wiped his eyes.<br/>“Firstly,” he began “You will eat the sandwich I made, Cloud, you look like you will fall over any moment. Secondly, you and Aerith need to do whatever you can to figure out how this Soulmate thing works. Study and ask the lifestream-”<br/><br/>“I wouldn’t even know where to start with that Aerith is the lifestream expert”<br/><br/>“Thirdly, learn more about your connection to the lifestream” Angeal held up three fingers and winked at Cloud.<br/><br/>“fourthly, I will try to set up a meeting between you and Sephiroth. Perhaps at this church would be best, its secluded and away from Shinra eyes. I will also be doing what I can to cover you and Zack for absences. Does Kunsel know?”<br/><br/>“No. I don't know what Zack has told him though”<br/><br/>Angeal nodded, “Finally I would like to increase how often I train with you, I hope it never comes to it, but we may need to fight this Fallen, and if it takes over Sephiroth's body-”<br/><br/>“We will all die,”<br/><br/>“No, be positive, Cloud,”<br/><br/>“I am positive we will all die,”<br/><br/>Angeal sighed, “Sephiroth is skilled with a blade and has a tactical mind, that does not make him a God. I grew up with him, He’s a clean freak, loves cats, and is ticklish. He’s mortal.  Also, there, four facts about your Soulmate~”<br/><br/>Cloud chuckled “thank you Angeal” for the first time all week Cloud felt he could actually do this. “We will have to tell my brother and the others eventually”<br/><br/>“If we are correct, yes. If you and Aerith are able to have Omega children. And, or, find significant evidence to back up your claims. The laws can be changed, ideally sooner rather than later… there is also another way.., you might not like it”<br/><br/>Cloud looked skeptical, but listened “ you can take power of the presidency from Rufus, he is only a steward for your position until you are old enough. The President of Neo-Shinra has always been an Omega, it has to be an Omega, your line was the first and most powerful. Rufus knows this. If he refuses to give up his position when asked-”<br/><br/>“I can’t fight my brother Angeal” Cloud looked horrified<br/><br/>“Can you afford to wait five or ten years? Or not at all if he finds out about you and Sephiroth in the wrong way? A SOLDIER must always consider all the options.”<br/><br/>“I’m not a SOLDIER”<br/><br/>“Not officially” Angeal grinned at Cloud "but to me you are."<br/>Cloud smiled back and hugged his Teacher again. He had a lot to think about, and a lot more to do.<br/>but he was sure, with Angeals support, he could do it. he could save Sephiroth. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Angeal Joined the party.<br/>this chapter is just one long conversion talking about what we already know, and I am deeply sorry for it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Gift of The Goddess</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sephiroth tapped his fingers impatiently, he had been at this meeting for an hour, and they had only given his report on Kalm and the giant monster nest a cursory glance.<br/>All the Turks wanted to talk about was the Maelstrom that had struck the city, which, while he understood, vexed the SOLDIER greatly.<br/><br/>It was making his head hurt.<br/><br/>Sephiroth wanted to leave this meeting as soon as possible, he feared another attack was building. But Reno was persistent.<br/>“So you confirm the Lieutenants story?”<br/><br/>“To the best of my ability, yes. It's the only logical conclusion”<br/><br/>“How many men did you lose?”<br/><br/>“It's in my report. Along with how many wounded there were, and my request for leave and psyche evaluations for every member of the Silver Garrison” he kept his voice steady, but Sephiroth pinned Reno with his stare, his feline eyes practically burning holes into the red head.<br/><br/>“Did you see the Omega? Catch his scent?” the pounding  in his head was getting worse and Sephiroth sighed.<br/><br/>“No” he bit out. “I believe I caught a glance. But without a picture in front of me I could not tell you. And I could smell nothing over the death and blood and sweat of my men…”<br/>He rubbed his temple. “I’d like to ask why an Omega was in Sector 7 anyway? as far as I was aware none lived in that Sector”<br/><br/>“He was on patrol”<br/><br/>“they're letting Omegas into SOLDIER now?”<br/><br/>“Nope, as far as I know it was Angeals idea. The Omega, Cloud, is Neo-Shinras future President, he’s been kicking up a fuss about wanting to enlist for years.”<br/><br/>Sephiroth should have known Angeal might have a hand in something so foolish. They would have to have a talk. “Are we done?”<br/><br/>“Yeah, yeah,” Reno waved him off dismissively “I gotta fill out the paperwork.”<br/><br/>“And my request?” Sephiroth<br/><br/>“It's in Lazards pile somewhere. I’ll put a word in to get it reviewed a.s.a.p” Renos said leaning back in his office chair<br/><br/>“Thank you,” Sephiroth said calmly. Finally satisfied.<br/>He left the office as quickly as he was able. His headache was making him dizzy already, and every step back to his own room was agony. His back was starting to ache.<br/><br/>When he finally got to an elevator Sephiroth allowed himself to slump against the wall. Breathing heavily. He had a few choice words for that blasted Omega. Future President or not. It had been little over a week since the Maelstrom, and Sephiroth had already found a pattern in his episodes. Whenever the Omega was mentioned, even in passing, His head would start to ache. And Sephiroth would be forced to leave the conversion, if he was forced to continue. It would get worse until it transformed into a full attack.<br/><br/>He was pretty sure he had heard the Omegas name before, but his mind refused to let it sink in for him to remember. All he could think of was blond hair. Blond hair and a headache.<br/><br/>“Sephiroth. You look unwell, something happened?” The General hadn’t even registered the elevator doors opening. He opened his eyes to see Angeal Hewley had entered, and was looking at him with a concerned expression.<br/><br/>“Angeal, I just had to sit in a room with a Turk for over an hour, going over that damned storm last week. And Lazard hasn’t even looked at my request for leave for my Men. I am exhausted”<br/><br/>“Right” was the response he got, neither of them had been much for needless chatter, Genesis had been the one for that. Filling the companionable silence with his poetry.<br/>Sephiroth huffed a laugh, and pulled himself from the wall.<br/><br/>“What?” Angeal asked.<br/><br/>“I was just, imagining what Genesis would say, if he were here.”<br/><br/>Angeal grinned “<em>Infinite in mystery, is the gift of the goddess-”</em>  he started the line they had burned into their memories.<br/><br/>“<em>-we seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface, the wandering soul knows no rest....</em>” Sephiroth finished Genesis’ favorite line “You know I don’t think I have ever read that book” <br/><br/>Angeal chuckled “he took me to the play once, talked the whole time; the costumes were wrong, the inflections were wrong.” they both chuckled “I miss him dearly” Angeal said after, with a sigh.<br/><br/>Sephiroth said nothing, his headache seemed to lifted, if only briefly. But the cold sweat and pain in his back and stomach made him twitch. Sephiroth didn’t notice Angeal watching him surreptitiously with a concerned eye.<br/><br/>“Do you think he knew what was happening?” Angeal asked, carefully.  Sephiroth shook his head and kept his eyes on the screen that showed the floor numbers going down.<br/><br/>“There is no way for us to know” <br/><br/>Angeal hummed. “I like to think.. If he knew what was happening, that he would have told me, I wish I could have helped him,” Sephiroth didn’t answer, he couldn’t even look at his friend at that moment. Surely Angeal didn’t suspect anything? Maybe it was merely playing on his mind.<br/><br/>The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. Angeal stepped out “I have a mission, if it can even be called that, I’m to investigate a disturbance in Sector 5. You’ll join me won't you?”<br/><br/>“Two Generals investigating a ‘disturbance’ in an otherwise peaceful sector?” Sephiroth raised a brow and his lips turned up.<br/><br/>Angeal grinned “it's been a long time since we last talked, I could do with the company”<br/><br/>Sephiroth chuckled “fine, I’ll play along. When do we head out?”<br/><br/>“A few days. I’ll come get you”<br/><br/>Sephiroth nodded his agreement just as the doors closed, and Angeals grin grew wider. When they were shut however he frowned. Sephiroth looked far worse than he’d expected. His, otherwise perceptive, friend hadn’t even heard him enter the elevator. He prayed that Cloud could rescue Sephiroth from the edge he was so dangerously perched on.<br/>The Black General turned and went to find Zack, they were leaving for the church soon…<br/><br/>The second the doors closed Sephiroth collapsed back to the wall. Gasping. The effort to keep himself upright and calm while he spoke to his old friend had been too much, Sephiroth's legs shook and he stared at his hands as they trembled.<br/>When the doors pinged again he pushed himself upright and stumbled to the corridor beyond. Using the walls to keep himself upright.<br/>He was thankful no one was about. But he also couldn't be sure he would even notice if anyone was.<br/><br/>He made it to his door and fumbled with his keycard like a drunk, having to brace himself against the wall as he did so. The moment the door opened he fell inside, gasping.<br/>He had to stand. He told himself, stand and lock the door behind him. But it was a struggle to even get to his knees, Sephiroth didn’t have time to think about the humiliation of crawling back to the door  like an animal to close and lock it. But the reward of the cool wall to press his pounding skull against was amazing.<br/><br/>Sephiroth clung to that reprieve, even as his body started to convulse, and he bit back a scream of agony.  It would end soon, it had to end soon. He begged whatever gods could have been listening for the pain to end. But heard no voice back.<br/><br/>“I …. Will… not….give...!” he ground his teeth together as he spoke and fought off the pain with everything he had. “I will...not...Fall!” he gasped for air and his vision blurred until finally Sephiroth had no choice but to give into the darkness that overtook him.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Angeal was speechless. The second he, Zack and Cloud had entered the Church, Zack had started running, straight into the woman, Aeriths arms. He picked her up and spun her around. Then got to his knees and begged forgiveness for being gone for so long without a word.<br/>She knelt with him and spoke soft, calming words to Zack.<br/><br/>Zack had been irritable and twitchy since before he left the Tower. Had hardly even spoke.<br/>Cloud hadn’t seemed to mind, his gentle smile  ever present as he held Zacks hand and Angeal drove their car,  Angeal couldn't remember a time where Zack had been like this. Seeing him suddenly so happy, was a relief.<br/><br/>“The first time they met they didn’t let go of one another. For hours.” Cloud explained.<br/>“I think he will be fine now” Angeal was inclined to agree with Cloud.<br/><br/>The Old SOLDIER took his eyes from his son and his… soulmate, to finally look around the church. It was dilapidated; Crumbling around them with tree roots and plants all around. At the center, where Angeal assumed an altar would have been there was a massive flower patch. It smelled  faintly sweet, but not overpowering to his Alpha senses.<br/>But there was something else about it. Something Angeal couldn’t put a word to.<br/>It was homely, welcoming. It made him want to lay in the flower patch and nap like a cat under the sun.<br/><br/>“You feel it don’t you?” Angeal turned back to see the tiny Omega woman in front of him. Now he got a good look at her he could see she was gorgeous, and her smile was as welcoming and calming as the Church was.<br/><br/>“I feel something, but I am not entirely sure what” he answered.<br/><br/>“The lifestream. It flows close to the surface here. You’re intune with it…” she lent closer, studying Angeals expression, he glanced at Zack and Cloud awkwardly, not accustomed to this kind of behaviour from anyone and not sure how to act.<br/>Aerith grabbed Angeals hand and pulled him to the flower patch  suddenly,  putting his hand to the earth.<br/><br/>“Here.” Aerith said. “Close your eyes” Angeal gave another glance towards Zack and Cloud, both men were watching with rapt interest. Angeal felt he agreed with Cloud's previous statement, Aerith was weird. But he didnt feel in danger.<br/><br/>Angeal closed his eyes and tried to let himself reach out with his mind. But he wasn’t an Omega, and couldn't enter the lifestream.<br/>The hand atop his felt warm however so he concentrated on that, as opposed to the cool earth. He felt their fingers lace together, intimately. It felt right.<br/><br/>Angeal smiled, his eyes still closed even as  unknown tears threatened to fall.<br/>“Your hand is warm…” he spoke his thoughts out loud and swallowed the lump he felt in his throat.<br/><br/>“I’m not touching you,” Aerith said gently. Angeal opened his eyes and saw his hand buried in the dirt, With no other in sight.<br/><br/>“He says he’s waiting and not to worry so much,” Angeal pulled his hand free and stared at Aerith, then turned away stomping to another part of the church.<br/><br/>Aerith looked up at Zack.  a little shaken by Angeals reaction “I'm sorry - I didn’t realise I did something wrong” Zack knelt with his mate,<br/><br/>“Its ok…Dad can be a little sensitive, he doesn't always like to show it” he told her, hugging Aerith close<br/><br/>“He was being really insistent. I couldn't really say no”<br/><br/>“What do you mean?” Cloud asked<br/><br/>“The other man, He smelt like apples. He’d been waiting here because he knew your Father would be with you- sorry should I have said something?” Zack hugged her closer and laughed, even as his own tears fell.<br/><br/>“No- no, I think you did something amazing. You met both my fathers today, that makes me really happy. Is-is he still here?” Zack asked looking around even though he knew he couldn't see anything.<br/><br/>Aerith shook her head, looking sad “no, he couldn't stay long”<br/><br/>Zack nodded,  and kissed Aeriths forehead, like it was second nature “That's ok. Thank you for giving my dad this. I-I should go get him. I’ll be right back I promise.”<br/>He helped Aerith to stand up, and rubbed her cheek gently with his thumb, gazing at her. “Thank you Aeirth” Zack said again, he went after Angeal.<br/><br/>Aerith turned to Cloud then, smiling, “I hope I helped”<br/>Cloud smiled back, he still felt exhausted even after a few nights of good sleep and good food.  He was wearing the infantry uniform again to help disguise himself, but had removed the helmet when he entered the church.<br/><br/>“I’m sure you did. Though I don’t exactly know what happened” he admitted.<br/><br/>“Sometimes, when a soul is strong enough, they can reach out of the lifestream, or make themselves heard. It's kind of like tapping on a window to get into a house.  We Omegas  can open the door. If we know how. I’ll happily show you, if you like” Aerith offered.<br/><br/>“Thank you, I’d like that.” Cloud answered her, just as Angeal and Zack returned, the elder Alpha looked a little pale but he smiled brightly.<br/><br/>“I should thank you as well.” he said. “For this gift, and for being Zacks soulmate. I think you’ll both be fine” he looked between them, giving his approval.<br/><br/>Zack laughed and pulled Aerith close. “That's Angeal speak for ‘welcome to the family’ you’re one of us now Aerith” he winked.<br/><br/>“We can celebrate with the date you owe me.” she teased him.<br/><br/>“Deal”<br/><br/>Cloud watched his friends, feeling strangely out of place. They talked, and touched and acted like they had known one another for years, but this was their second meeting, but not even Angeal. The most logical of them all found it strange.<br/><br/>Were Soulmate connections that strong, That they drew everyone in? Did they get stranger with time?  His mind once again went back to Sephiroth, as it had everyday since the storms.<br/>He wondered how Sephiroth was doing. How he would react when he saw Cloud.<br/>The entire thing made Cloud feel anxious, and the ominous storm cloud above the city still hadn’t let up because  of it. Cloud was running out of excuses to use on Rufus.<br/><br/>“Did you learn anything new, Aerith, since we’ve been gone” he spoke up. Deciding to distract himself from his own mind by poking someone else's.<br/><br/>The female Omega turned to face him “not exactly” she explained “it's not as easy as simply asking. I need to look for past Omegas in the stream, and even then there isn’t a guarantee that I will learn what I can from them I have to sift through what memories I can find. It's draining…”<br/><br/>Zack rubbed Aeriths back. “I’m proud of you.” he said softly, Aerith blushed.<br/><br/>“I was able to confirm what we suspected anyway; The Fallen, it is a separate being within the Alpha,” Aerith looked at Angeal, sadly “ <em> he </em> told me, he said its a parasite” Angeal nodded and glanced away. His expression unreadable, Aerith rubbed her arm anxiously, Angeal already looked ragged. she didn't want accidentally hurt him by bringing up his lover.<br/><br/>"what else did Genesis say?" Angeal asked after a long pause,  Aerith  could only shook her head,<br/><br/>"thats it, I don't think he knows anything else.. but I could tell it scared him...no, it terrified him, when I brought it up Genesis nearly recoiled back into the Life stream entirely," a heavy silence passed between them, the enormity of that statement weighing heavily on the group. what the hell were they up against? what was Sephiroth going through? Cloud shivered.  it took a while longer before Aerith felt like she could continue,<br/><br/>“... I did learn that the bond between Soulmates needs more than just them meeting to fully take hold. But I have yet find what that is, maybe its just.... them getting to know one another better?” even as Aerith spoke she was blushing, as she glanced at Zack, he just smiled at her adoringly.<br/><br/>"I could do that" he said, clearly oblivious, or if he wasn't he didn't show it. <br/><br/>Angeal looked past Zack and Aerith to Cloud, his stoic mask morphing into a wickedly coy smirk, his eyes twinkling with mischief, the heavy atmosphere around him lifted. Cloud blushed madly and tried to glare at the Alpha. But it seemed to have little to no effect on the man.<br/><br/>Aerith continued on. “ but...That might explain why i have felt awful since you left, like-like-”<br/><br/>“Like an itch you can't scratch?” Zack supplied “ I felt like I left a piece of myself here, and I needed to get back to you. I was pacing  the Cell for days I couldn't think of anything else”<br/><br/>“Wait- Cell,  what Cell?” Aerith asked, suddenly alarmed, and annoyed all at once and put her hands on her hips “were you arrested  Zack?”<br/><br/>Zack immediately pointed to Angeal “ <em> he </em> got me arrested,“ then  Zack pointed to Cloud “because of <em> him </em> ”, I am an innocent man I <em> swear </em> ” Aerith glared at them both, and Cloud was sure, in that moment that if Aerith wanted too she would be able to take them both in a fight.<br/><br/>“You're really not that innocent Zack” Cloud said, helpfully. “But yes, I’m sorry Aerith it's my fault. The laws are strict, especially in regards to me - and I got stabbed at.” Cloud pointed to the wound on his eyebrow, it was healing nicely and he had a defined gape in the hairs, Aerith inspected it, grumbled but looked pacified.<br/><br/>“You said the Fallen is a separate entity. a Parasite” Angeal said, trying to focus the topic again “and we know the one inside Sephiroth really didn’t like Cloud-”<br/><br/>“Please don’t remind me” Cloud said crossing his arms over his chest, Angeal ignored him and continued,<br/><br/>“Do we know we know for sure that a Soulmate can cage it, or remove it completely?”  Angeal asked, "we have a lot of questions, and anyone who has been... possessed is either dead, unknown or..."<br/><br/>"Sephiroth" Zack said with a sigh “the only way we might be able to tell if Soulmates can prevent a Falling is by putting Cloud in front of him and hoping for the best.”<br/><br/>“Wonderful, yes, just lock me in a room with him and see what happens,” Cloud said dryly. “I'm sure we will have moment like you and Aerith did,”<br/><br/>“We won't lock you alone with him” Angeal said, almost sounding defensive. “I will be there to supervise.”<br/><br/>“Me too. I won't let him hurt you Cloud” Zack announced<br/><br/>“And I‘ll bring extra umbrellas,” Aerith said teasingly, trying to lighten the mood. Zack was the only one who laughed.<br/><br/>There wasn’t much else they could do at that point, Angeal discussed his plan with Cloud and Zack, that he would bring Sephiroth to the church, it was far enough from civilians and he would have his radio on ready to contact Lazard if Sephiroth Fell, they would need the reinforcements.<br/>Cloud felt sick, Zack and Angeal spoke like it was a battle plan rather than a meeting between Soulmates, and that didn’t settle well with him, even if he did know they were right to do so.<br/><br/>He was reminded of how Aerith and Zack acted when they met, how they shared the space,just by looking at them, and felt bitter jealousy.<br/>Eventually Cloud sat back with a sigh, choosing instead to go to the flower patch and sit there, until Aerith joined him.<br/><br/>“Have you tried meditating?” she asked as he sat next to him.<br/>“It might help get rid of that nasty storm cloud that's hanging over us”<br/><br/>Cloud nodded and sighed again “yeah, Angeal suggested it before. I tried it when I was a kid, when I got upset. But it's worked less and less”<br/><br/>Aerith was silent for a while, and she looked back to Zack who was still deep in conversation with Angeal. “What about.. If you try it here?”<br/><br/>“With the flowers?”<br/><br/>“With the lifestream close, it might help - you need to practice accessing it anyway, why not two birds with one stone?”<br/><br/>Cloud thought for a second, Aerith had a point, and he did <em> feel </em>  the Lifestream here. It was like a song that he  felt rather than heard, he also couldn't rely on her for everything, to do with the lifestream.<br/>If Cloud was going to end up leading Midgar, and show the remaining Omegas what they had to do to survive, he needed to learn how to do it himself first.<br/><br/>“Would I be able to come back here more often, to meditate?” he asked her. Aerith grinned.<br/><br/>“Of course”</p><hr/><p><br/><br/>This was getting old fast, Sephiroth thought as he woke from his episode, with a metallic taste in his mouth and a sore back, just once he wanted to have an attack in his bed where he wouldn't be thrashing against the hard floor of his apartment. Just once he didn’t want to wake up looking at LED lights with a headache.<br/><br/>His shirt was torn to shreds. His hair was a mess, he hurt, but at least he didn’t vomit that time.<br/>Hooray for the small victories, Sephiroth guessed.<br/><br/>it took him longer than he would have liked to admit to finally he sit up and truly took in the extent of the damage with a growing sense of dread. He could tell where he had crawled across the floor by the deep, claw marks where he had dragged himself. Looking to the door he saw the marks went up the wall to the door lock. It was shattered.<br/><br/>Sephiroth swallowed a lump in his throat.  And pushed himself up against the kitchen counter. He did that? He… Sephiroth looked at his hands, they looked normal, human, but he could see the dirt and blood under his usually perfectly manicured nails.<br/><br/>His hands shook, and a sob threatened to escape his throat. He curled his hands around his middle hugging his knees to his chest and let out a shaking breath.<br/>He could see clearly the feathers on the floor, along with clumps of his own hair that he had must have ripped out in his agony, reaching up he felt the differing lengths and torn ends.<br/><br/></p><p>He didn’t know where the feathers came from though, he felt his back and had even looked in a mirror before but there had been no sign of any wings or a wound where it might have burst from his back.<br/><br/>He was losing control. He knew it. And Sephiroth knew he needed to leave Midgar immediately, he needed to warn someone.<br/>He thought of Angeals words, he desperately wanted to ask for help.<br/>But something was stopping him, it closed up his throat and prevented him from grabbing his PHS to call Angeal.<br/><br/>He had to stay in Midgar. He knew something deep inside him, something far stronger than he wanted him here.<br/><br/>Sephiroth felt like he had a bomb strapped to his chest.<br/><br/>he would explode, any second.<br/><br/>Sephiroth curled up even further, finally allowing the sobs to escape his throat, he thought he was stronger than this, he was trained to be stronger than this!<br/>His consciousness started to drift, the pain and exhaustion eating at him.<br/>He needed to be stronger than this…<br/><br/>He had to protect...the Omega.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone. thank you for reading so far, I really appreciate it. i love the feedback I am getting and I am doing my best to track spelling errors and grammar issues. you've all been a wonderful help and I am enjoying this story as much as you are.</p><p>however, my schedule is about to change, I started this Fic during my week off work and I am about to start again at the Hospital.<br/>I will do what i can to keep posting as often, I have loved updating daily. hopefully i can keep doing it.<br/>thank you again for reading. </p><p>the next Chapter is already planned~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Its a Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They were getting good at their little escapes to the ground levels of Midgar, Cloud still hid himself as an Infantry man. But since Angeal got fully invested in their plan,and ran cover for them, it wasn’t really necessary, just preference.<br/><br/>They still needed to be careful however, Tseng often had his Turks spy on Cloud, as a matter of safety for the future President.<br/>Cloud couldn’t exactly blame them, the Turks were the bodyguards of the President and any high profile Omega in the city, but he was getting tired of dodging them and taking extreme routes to get back to the Church.<br/><br/>Their longest had been a drive around almost the entire upper plates, down to sector 2 and hiding the car in sector 4 and walking through tunnels  the rest of the way. It had been dangerous. and Cloud wasn’t even sure if the Turks had even been following them. But no one in the group was willing to take the risk.<br/><br/>It had been another week since Angeal had been to the church for the first time, and Cloud had been meant to meet Sephiroth for the first time, the day after.<br/><br/>But the General had called Angeal and claimed sickness, he hadn’t been seen since.<br/>The worry was eating at Cloud, and the swirling black mass of clouds in the sky hadn’t dissipated, but it had, at least, stopped thundering.<br/><br/>Angeal was chasing up Sephiroth today, determined to get their plan in motion as soon as possible, and told them to get ready. Which was where Cloud and Zack was now, sitting in the church, dealing with their current problem.<br/><br/>“An Omega!?” Kunsels' words echoed loudly in the church, so loudly birds that were roosting in the trees and the attic flew off for safer places.<br/>Zack tried to hush him, almost panicking. Aerith stood next to him, taking it in stride, like she always did.<br/><br/>“Please, Sel, inside voice” Zack begged.<br/><br/>“Your!.. Ahm. “ Kunsel lowered his voice “Your Girlfriend is an Omega!” he looked around to Cloud hoping for support but the blond only shrugged<br/><br/>“I don’t see an issue” Cloud stated from where he sat away from the group, which made Kunsel stop abruptly, and straighten, he coughed and hid his blush behind his hand,<br/><br/>“Well.. I mean.. Yeah, I’m just.. Shocked, I mean, we walk the tightrope with rule breaking daily but Zack could get into serious trouble.” Kunsel mumbled, “I’m just concerned”<br/><br/>Aerith stepped up, taking  Kunsels hand in her own “I’m pleased to meet you, Kunsel. I know it's a little weird,.” Kunsel shook her hand, the blush on his cheeks growing a little more. He was ashamed he had reacted poorly in the first instance. Considering his own feelings on the matter. If he was as brave as Zack, things might have been different. He spared a glance to Cloud, who sat in the Flower bed trying, desperately, to relax his mind and control the storm above them.<br/><br/>“I’m sorry, Aerith. You seem lovely, I just…” He glanced towards Cloud again and sighed. It was typical really, he had spent years pining over an Omega he would never have, Zack finds one and immediately, regardless of the repercussions, starts dating her.<br/><br/>Aerith seemed to sense Kunsels sadness. And she squeezed his hand a little. “I know, I’m sorry.. But please, let us explain what's happened.” Kunsel looked back to Aerith, her smile was infectious and he offered a small one back as she released his hand.<br/><br/>Zack and Aerith spent a long while, laying out to Kunsel the concepts of Soulmates, as best as they could. They explained how Aerith had been made for Zack, and Zack for Aerith. That their connection, while new, was stronger than anything they had experienced before. They could feel when they were close, felt lost when they were separated, and innately knew what each other was feeling and acted accordingly.<br/><br/>Kunsel listened intently, occasionally asking clarifying questions, but Aerith caught him glancing at Cloud now and then, she gripped Zack's hand and tried not to think about it.<br/>She could see what was going on. But it wasn’t her place to say anything.<br/><br/>Cloud tried to focus on his meditation. Tried to dive into the life stream like he had the first time, but the conversion kept pulling him back to the church, he resisted opening his eyes.<br/>Zack and Aerith had been considerate and not mentioned his own Soulmate to Kunsel.<br/><br/>But then the conversation turned to the reason why they originally had chosen to tell Kunsel in the first place, they needed a potential extra sword for when Sephiroth arrived.<br/><br/>“So the Fallen, isn’t a state of mind, but an actual.. Thing.”<br/><br/>“A Parasite,”<br/><br/>“Yeah, the Parasite-” Kunsel shuddered “-Do we know how it spreads?”<br/><br/>“No”<br/><br/>“Do we know how to kill or contain it?”<br/><br/>“Not.. exactly”<br/><br/>Kunsel was looking more frazzled by the moment “Do we have a way to tell who could be infected?”<br/><br/>“...not really, unless they show actual signs”<br/><br/>Kunsel huffed and ran his hand through his hair, “well.. That's not good at all! Do we at least have the bones of a plan on how to deal with it?” he tapped his foot nervously as he spoke.<br/><br/>“We think an Omega Soulmate can destroy it… somehow. We aren't clear on the details” Zack started to explain. Cloud stood up and stretched out his back.<br/><br/>“Zack” Cloud began as he walked over “can.. I handle this part.. You guys are already late for your Date anyway”<br/><br/>“Are you sure?” Aerith asked, concerned.<br/><br/>Cloud nodded “yes, we’ll be fine. Have fun you two”<br/><br/>Both Zack and Aerith hesitated a moment before gathering their stuff and heading to the door, Zack called back for them to call if they needed anything. Suddenly Kunsel and Cloud were alone.<br/><br/>Cloud released a calming breath and looked to Kunsel with a smile.<br/>Kunsel looked concerned however and glanced Cloud up and down.<br/><br/>“I’m not going to like this am I?”</p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Zack sighed when he closed the church door behind them<br/>“Do you think they will be ok?” Aerith asked from behind him, and he turned to her with a grin.<br/><br/>He laced their fingers together and pulled Aerith close “they’ll be fine.” he assured her<br/><br/>“I think Kunsel likes Cloud.” Zack sighed again at Aeriths observation.<br/><br/>“Yeah, he does. Has done for years. He's never been subtle about it. But he’ll be ok.” Zack explained while they walked down the steps, they walked for a while before Aerith spoke up again.<br/><br/>“How did you three end up together anyway? The future President with two SOLDIER lieutenants seems an unlikely group, especially with how the Turks can be”<br/><br/>“You’ve had trouble with the Turks?” Zack asked, surprised, Aerith just shrugged<br/><br/>“All Omegas have records in the city. We are cataloged, and checked in sometimes. Rude’s alright really, but he has had to drag me home after curfew a few times when I was a teenager. He actually taught me a little self defence training” Aerith spoke nonchalantly. Zack hummed.  He couldn’t say he knew Rude very well, his friendship with Cloud meant that he had interactions with many Turks; Rude was always quiet. Only really opening up with Reno was near him.<br/><br/>“I knew Cloud from when we were kids. We were the only Children who lived in the Shinra tower at the time. Claudia, Clouds mother and Genesis would insist on play dates. We studied together, after Angeal started to teach me to fight would show Cloud, at the time I didn’t see anything wrong with it. Angeal was the only one who thought it was a good idea and decided to train us both.” Zack smiled as he remembered.<br/><br/>“I met Kunsel when I first enlisted into SOLDIER, we were Cadets together and bunk mates. Cloud would sneak into meet me and share snacks he stole from the kitchens, and he got to know Sel that way too. We haven’t really been separated since, And Rufus never minded because he felt like Cloud had two personal SOLDIER body guards.”<br/><br/>“I like that.  I never really had many friends growing up… It’s nice knowing you did”<br/><br/>“You have friends now, you’re part of this group.” Zack pointed out. They had walked quite a distance from the church. And got to an old childs play park. Pretty much everything  was run down or broken besides the swing set.<br/><br/>Aerith ran over and immediately sat down “Push me?” she asked, like she needed too; Zack was already following and he set their picnic basket to one side.<br/>He lifted the swing and gave it a gentle push. Aerith laughed.<br/>“C’mon I know you can do harder than that~” she teased him.<br/><br/>“Oh you do, do you?” he grabbed the chain and pulled it higher “how about <em> this! </em> ” he pushed her further, and Aerith kicked her feet out cheering, Zack pushed her again when she came back down.<br/><br/>“Wooh! I can almost see my house from the top” Aerith giggled, Zack laughed as well.  He took a step back then running jump to stand on the back of the swing seat with her using the momentum to lift them higher.<br/><br/>For a while they just played like that, enjoying one another company and laughing together. It was freeing.<br/>“You know,” Zack said as the swing started to slow “I had planned this date for days. I wasn’t sure if you wanted to go to a restaurant, or a movie, then Angeal reminded me about us being seen together. But this, this is fun.”<br/><br/>“It's perfect,” Aerith agreed. “I enjoy just spending time with you, Zack. and It's nice to escape the real world sometimes.”  Zack looked down at her, his eyes shining. Aerith looked up at him and giggled again at the angle.<br/><br/>“You’re gorgeous, you know that?” Zack said without thinking.  Aerith blushed, she had never been called gorgeous before and didn’t know how to react.<br/>When the swing slowed enough she lent back pushing Zack off the swing. He laughed and landed on his feet easily.<br/><br/>“What was that for?”<br/>“I’m not gorgeous. Im average.” Zack scoffed and stopped Aeriths swing entirely.<br/>Walking around to the front and kneeling in front of her.<br/><br/>“Have you ever looked in a mirror, Flower?” Zack grinned. “it's not just looks anyway. what you have done, for Cloud, for my Dad. That's amazing. <em> You’re </em> amazing.”<br/><br/>“I still can’t get over the whole Soulmate thing. That.. we were made for each other. It just blows my mind. I hope I’m not a disappointment.” Zack said softly<br/><br/>Aerith shook her head “how could you be? I can't wait till we can just.. Be together, y’know?”<br/><br/>“Same.” Zack said with a gentle sigh.  He moved to sit on the swing seat next to Aerith and they sat in the companionable silence for a while, hand in hand. Gently swinging together.<br/><br/>“Can I ask a question?” Aerith asked.<br/><br/>“Shoot”<br/><br/>“You were adopted right, Did you ever know your birth parents?” they had never truly spoken about it before. But they both knew they were both adopted, it was another funny similarity they had.<br/><br/>Zack had to think for a moment. “I never knew them, I was practically a newborn when they died.- they… it was when the first Fallen appeared. One of the SOLDIERS stationed at  Gongaga, went on a rampage. Angeal said I was found in my Mother's arms. She died protecting me…” he pushed himself on his swing quietly for a moment, in deep thought.<br/><br/>“Angeal and I <em> are </em> actually related - He’s my uncle, by blood on my mother's side..but it was actually Genesis who filed for the adoption, Angeal and I were the only members of our family still alive. Before he could process what had happened to my mum, Genesis had the paperwork ready,” Zack smiled then,<br/><br/>“He apparently threatened Angeal, ‘if you don’t fill these out and bring him home, i'm leaving you’” Gen was dramatic like that, I doubt he would have left.” Zack chuckled.<br/><br/>“I’m glad they kept you or else we might not ever have met. From what I could tell Genesis was a nice man”<br/><br/>Zack huffed a laugh “he was.. Dramatic, and a little narcissistic, he would insist on styling my hair, making sure I had the best clothes- When all I wanted to do was roll around in the mud.” Zack laughed again.<br/><br/>“He taught me how to dance. And whenever he would read to me as a kid he put on all the voices, he was really good at doing the villain voices- I actually kept his books. I keep his old copy of Loveless in my bag, keeps Gen close y’know….I miss him..” Aerith saw the slight wetness in his eyes even as he looked towards the darkening sky, even though Zack was crying he was smiling.<br/>Zack sniffed and looked over to Aerith “what about you?”<br/><br/>Now it was Aeriths turn to stare away, into the middle distance. She recalled her mother  and Father easily. “I was a kid when they died, I remember having to move around a lot, I know now it was because dad was an alpha. If the Turks caught up to us. He would have been killed. I remember him throwing me up into the air, and catching me. And I remember my mother, singing to me….<br/><br/>But then there was an accident. I don't remember exactly what happened but Elmyra, My mum had been nearby and held my mother while she died. She told her to take me someplace safe. she’s been my mum ever since.”<br/><br/>They looked at one another “is it weird.. That our lives have been so similar?” Aerith asked.<br/><br/>“I don’t think so.. “ Zack answered “but I think it's sucky that so many people who loved us have died…”<br/><br/>“They’re watching us.. And they are happy” Aerith spoke with conviction “i’m sure of it”<br/><br/>It was almost completely dark nowm the storm cloud above the city allowing for no light.<br/>But the old street lamp next to them flickered on, giving the park an otherworldly feeling.<br/><br/>“You said you have your father's book? Could you.. Read me some?” Aerith asked Zack.<br/>The Alpha grinned at her<br/><br/>“Gladly”  he said, Zack grabbed his pack and fished around.  He stood there for a moment, holding the worn book in his hand, his fingers gently running over yellowed pages.<br/>His feline eyes allowed him to see the words even as it got darker around them.<br/><br/>He let out a breath, and closed his eyes remembering how Genesis would read it, and started to imitate. Giving the same inflection to the words his father had,<br/><br/><em> “When the war of the beasts brings about the world’s end, </em> <em><br/></em> <em> The Goddess descends from the sky, </em> <em><br/></em> <em> Wings of light and dark spread afar, </em></p><p><em> She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting-” </em> <em><br/></em></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Cloud tried to smile but the tension and awkwardness  in the room was palpable, Cloud shifted where he stood unable to keep eye contact.<br/>There was nothing between them, never had been- and yet Cloud felt like, in some way he was betraying Kunsel…<br/>“I know we aren’t soulmates..” he heard Kunsel say, Cloud looked up suddenly at those bright green feline eyes, Kunsels expression was unreadable.<br/>“If we were… we would have known years ago.. Right? They way Zack and Aerith spoke about it, it doesn’t really sound like something we would miss”<br/><br/>Cloud played with his sleeve “are you angry?” he said softly looking to the floor<br/><br/>Kunsel didn’t answer straight away, he watched his friends' nervous movements carefully, Kunsel walked over to Cloud and saw the Omega flinch.<br/><br/>“How could I ever be angry with you..” he sighed. Finally ”I’m.. disappointed and sad...I never made it a secret how I felt.. But I was too much of a coward to actually do anything about it”<br/><br/>Cloud shook, tears stinging his eyes. He had known, of course, ever since they were teenagers how Kunsel felt. But he had never given any thought to his own feelings. What would be the point? It was against the law, Kunsel would have been taken away and killed or worse if either of them did anything. So why bother. Neither of them had said or done anything.  They remained Friends, enjoying the light touches or shared laughs a little too much, clinging to one another desperately when they hugged.<br/>Cloud cared deeply for Kunsel… he could admit it to himself now. Now when he felt like he was throwing his best friend aside for an Alpha he never met before.<br/><br/>He felt the Alphas hand on his cheek and closed his eyes, “if I had known, years ago. About any of this.. I might have done something different.. But.. it's ok Cloud. Really”<br/>Cloud finally looked up to Kunsel the Alphas thumb catching a rogue tear before it got very far.<br/><br/>“You’re my best friend. “ Kunsel continued. “I wouldn’t want to change what we have. Whatever you need me to do I’ll do it”<br/><br/>Cloud could only nod and fall into Kunsels chest, in a way he had done so many times before. He cried silently into his friends shoulders, keeping him in a crushing hug for as long as either of them could bear it. Kunsel didn’t seem to want to let go either.<br/><br/>“My mate, he’s becoming a Fallen,” Cloud said finally into Kunsels  neck. His voice was broken.<br/><br/>“Who is it?” Kunsel said  his stomach twisting, his veins felt like they were filled with ice at the thought of Cloud ever being tied to a Creature like that.<br/><br/>“Sephiroth” Cloud sobbed “its Sephiroth.” he felt Kunsels hands tighten, gloved hands becoming fists “Back in sector 7 the Parasite inside him sensed me. And lashed out. That's why I ran. I felt how angry it was. It hates me!. When I found him through the lifestream it tried to hide Sephiroth's soul and told me it would destroy everything”<br/><br/>For the first time, Cloud finally let go of his pent up fear and anguish. For over a week he let it fester, scared of causing another Maelstrom.  But only here, alone with a man who seemed to love him and accept whatever he was and what would happen, and it just made him feel worse. Furthering the idea in his mind that he was using and betraying Kunsel in some awful way. Sobs wracked Cloud's body.<br/><br/>Kunsel looked up towards the hole in the rafters. While the storm clouds churned overhead, no rain fell. Cloud was getting stronger.<br/>“It's going to be ok Cloud” he hushed his friend. But Cloud shook his head against Kunsels shoulder.<br/><br/>“I’m scared…” Cloud admitted, finally. “I’m so scared. The only way we will know if Soulmates can save a Fallen is by meeting him tomorrow. I don’t know what the monster inside  him will do! It could hurt everyone. I don’t know if I can do it! I’ve tried to be calm. Or excited  or anything at the prospect of meeting him. But.. <em> oh Gods </em> Kunsel... ”<br/><br/>Kunsel let Cloud cry against him. He fought the instinct in him to hunt down what caused his dear friend this much pain.  To roar a challenge to Sephiroth, Not to claim Cloud, But to protect him from it.<br/>He’d make sure Sephiroth knew just how much Cloud hurt. He’d tell him how much he cried in fear of him. And demand the General make up for it. In Kunsels mind, every tear Cloud shed was a mark against Sephiroth. He had a lot of making up to do.<br/><br/>The young Alpha though remained calm outwardly. Rubbing Clouds back gently and rocking him where they stood.<br/><br/>“What's going to happen tomorrow?” he asked Cloud carefully when the sobs slowed.<br/><br/>It took awhile for Cloud to be able to respond properly but he got the idea;<br/>Angeal would lead Sephiroth here. The hope was Clouds presence so close to Sephiroth would give him the strength to fight the  Parasite, and buy them more time to figure out how to destroy it. Zack, Angeal and Kunsel would be waiting. Hidden and if Sephiroth was unable to fight it. They would attack without hesitation. Ending his life then and there.<br/>They had no idea what the effect on Cloud would be and no one lingered on the thought and Clouds request. <br/><br/>“Zack and Aerith had it so easily… I wish I had what they had… I wish…” <em><br/></em><br/>“-They did have it easy.. Zacks always had it easy though, the jammy git” Kunsel commented it made Cloud huff a small laugh and pull away enough to wipe his eyes.<br/>“I know you can do this Cloud”<br/><br/>“You don’t even know what will happen”<br/><br/>“Sure I do. You’ll see him,  and he’ll see you and everything to click into place. He’ll hug you and he will say how sorry he is for scaring you. And will spend the rest of his life making up for it. Then…” Kunsel looked up again at the sky<br/>“then..the storm will end”  Cloud looked up too. Surprised it wasn;t raining and they were not soaked through to the bone. Kunsel chuckled “you are getting stronger by the day already…”<br/><br/>“What if you’re wrong though.. What if that doesn’t happen” Cloud argued, looking back to his friend. Kunsel only smiled.<br/><br/>“Then.. I’ll take your hand” he grabbed Clouds hand as he spoke “and we’ll run. I’ll take you as far from Midgar as I can... As long as there is air in my lungs and my heart pumps blood.  I won't let anything hurt you”<br/><br/>Cloud was silent for a long moment, watching their hands together. Kunsel gave him hope.<br/>Maybe he really could do this.<br/><br/>“Thank you Sel,”<br/><br/>“Thank you, as well, Cloud” Kunsel lifted Clouds hand to his lips. And kissed his knuckles gently. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>BOOM I DID IT! listening to Aeriths Home Again theme from the remake helped with the date scene. it really did. </p><p>I don't think i'm all that good with romantic stuff though i think Zack and Aerith came off weird and . i may go back and try to edit the the interactions between Cloud and Kunsel to make the feelings there a little more apparent.<br/>I don't believe that all love triangles need conflict. or that anything needs to happen.<br/>sometimes if you truly love someone,  you know if they need to be let go and need to let them do their own thing.  and your happy simply being in their life rather than being their romantic partner. Kunsel isn't going to interfere with Cloud and Sephiroth. thats not my intention. (though i may write a one shot where they do run off together hohoho)</p><p>Also Cloud is cracking under the pressure again, poor thing. its just too much.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Parasite</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Angeal glanced at Sephiroth for what he must have thought was the hundredth time that day.<br/>He had expected that he would need to watch his old friend closely that day. He thought he would be looking for any instances of the Parasite, - Fallen inside his friend. Sweating, twitching- anything. It had kept Angeal on the edge of his nerves for days  as he thought about what he might have to do, and what he should expect.<br/><br/>He hadn’t expected this however.  He glanced again even as he tried to keep his eyes on the road in front of him. They drifted back to Sephiroth.<br/>Not in suspicion, or concern. But perplexed shock, bordering on horror.<br/><br/>“Must you stare?” Sephiroth grumbled.<br/><br/>“I still don’t understand why you did it?” Angeal didn’t want to bring it up, not originally. He wasn’t the only one that had been watching Sephiroth, in the Neo-Shinra Tower, every head turned to Sephiroth when he passed them by. Necks practically snapping when people did double takes, mouths agape.<br/><br/>“I had a fight with a blender-  I lost,” Sephiroth said bitterly, his sarcastic humor making a rare appearance, Angeal snorted at the mental image.<br/><br/>“clearly.”<br/><br/>“ Just shut up and drive” Sephiroth snapped. He rested his elbow on the car door and stared out the window, attempting to ignore his friend.<br/>His hair fell in front of his eyes.. His significantly shorter hair.<br/><br/>Sephiroth's most recent episode had been the worst by far. The linal floor, the wall and the door lock had been the most obvious casualties. He’d known  he had pulled out some of his hair during the aftermath, but it wasn’t until Sephiroth looked in a mirror that he realised to what extent.<br/><br/>Giant clumps were missing, ends were frayed and torn, The entire left side was almost completely gone, bar a few shaggy ends that hung lifelessly by his ear.<br/>Sephiroth had been mortified, and heartbroken.<br/>He wasn’t one for acts of vanity, but his hair - His hair was a rare part of his being that he had been truly proud of.  It was Long and thick and soft,  He spent great care and attention on his hair, and spent years growing it to his desired length. During the long days and nights  stationed at Kalm, fighting waves after waves of monsters, seeing friends and allies be slaughtered and mutilated around him. His hair had been his comfort.<br/><br/>He’d listen to reports and handle debriefings  while gently brushing out the knots.  Picking bits of gore or muck free, and washing it. The simple act of normalcy and grooming calmed him in the chaos, and it distracted him when he needed it. Everyone had their own comforters in war.  His just happened to fall just past his waist-<br/><br/>-Or at least it used too.<br/><br/>He had immediately found a discrete hairdresser after his horrifying discovery, and paid them handsomely for help.<br/><br/>The ragged half of his hair had been shaved down to a grade two. The Curtain on that side had been salvaged somewhat, but had to be cut to match.The right side was just as thick, but had been layered  and trimmed back against his neck. It was… stylish- or at least that is what the hairdresser had said. Sephiroth still felt decidedly stupid, as well as lopsided. He also hated how he now had to constantly flick his head to keep his hair out of his eyes.<br/><br/>“It looks good y’know,” Angeal said after a few more miles on the road. “Change is good” he smiled towards Sephiroth who could only sigh<br/><br/>“Then why did you yell when you first saw me?” he asked, pained.<br/><br/>“I didn’t yell, I exclaimed in surprise. You’ve had your hair near your ass for as long as I can remember.” Angeal shrugged, and turned the car into the road that led into Sector 5<br/><br/>“You said, and I quote; ‘ what the fuck have you done? Are you ok?’”  Sephiroth said dryly, and looked over to Angeal finally, who, wisely, kept his eyes forward, focused on the road.<br/><br/>“... <em> are </em> you ok?” he asked after a long pause.<br/><br/>“Fuck you”<br/><br/>Angeal kept his comments to himself. He knew, of course, or at least he assumed, What had happened. Sephiroth was getting worse, and had been forced to cut his hair to continue hiding his ...problem.<br/><br/>He still remembered what Genesis had looked like when they found him. Almost completely bald, but for a few ragged ends, and scratched claw marks littering his head and face and chest.<br/><br/>He hadn’t been the only one either. Most Fallen or those about to Fall, tend to rip at themselves, hair, nails, Teeth, unless it was a sudden Falling.<br/>One unfortunate Alpha, that Angeal remembered from their youth, had clawed out his own eyes and bit out his tongue. He’d be found wandering the barracks in the dead of night, wailing,  he had been dealt with accordingly but the mess and the horror of it all traumatized many others - Angeal did his best to repress a shiver, the Parasite, according to Cloud, was sentient being.<br/>Was it causing this much pain on purpose? Did it derive pleasure from making its victims rip themselves a part? Or was it just part of the process?<br/><br/>Regardless, They were running out of time for Sephiroth, And he preyed Cloud would be able to at least slow the Falling.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>“I thought they were going to clean up the ruins to allow for more living space and plot for flora?” Sephiroth asked as he exited the car<br/><br/>“Originally. But the teams assigned to remove and recycle it all, found a few indigenous plants and wildlife.  So it was decided to simply leave the area to grow naturally, to study. Of course.” Angeal said, looking around. They were  a little far from the church but they had run out of usable roads.<br/><br/>Sephiroth shrugged “Gaia has always been better at reclaiming and healing her wounds then we have…” he turned to Angeal “where to from here?”<br/><br/>Angeal pointed towards the direction of the Church; its tallest point was visible from their vantage “this way” he was already walking at a brisk pace<br/>Sephiroth followed. He felt a twinge in his head and winced.<br/><br/>“Do we know what we are looking for?” he asked. Ignoring the pain.<br/><br/>“Most likely a gang of unruly youths” Angeal smiled “causing  mischief and breaking rules.”<br/><br/>Sephiroth barked a laugh “like what? Spray painting walls and getting high? No wonder you said I would not need Masamune. What's the plan we sca-” Sephiroth stumbled suddenly, his train of thought lost in a  wave of nausea, his hand went instinctively to his temple. His head once again feeling the fuzzy precursor to a headache.<br/>Angeal noticed immediately, and watched his friend from a few feet away “you ok?”<br/><br/>The feeling went as quickly as it came, and Sephiroth came back up to his full height, attempting to act like nothing had happened. “I am fine” he lied. Cold sweat already lining his brow. “Perhaps we should split up to investigate” he said, trying to look for an excuse to leave, he was alarmed by the sudden precursor to an episode, and it seemed to be getting worse faster than normal.<br/>He was sweating already, he was already repressing the shivers. What the hell was happening? Angeal, however, seemed not to notice.<br/><br/>“No. I know where we are going,” he marched on a few more feet before turning back, expectantly. Sephiroth maintained his composure to the best of his abilities.<br/>But the idea of taking a step forward felt like a tremendous task. Something screamed at him not to move, in fact he thought it better if he turned around entirely. The pounding in his head got worse, as he forced his first step forward, then the next.<br/>Each step felt like a bang of a drum. He heard his blood pumping in his ears.<br/>Sephiroth only made it about ten feet from where they started before, once again he stopped, gripping his head and forced to lean against a rock<br/><br/>“Angeal, I think I should head back, if it is such an easy job. Do you really need me?” He tried again. Hoping the pain he was feeling didn't bleed into his voice. He was starting to smell something vaguely familiar. It made him feel even more sick.<br/><em>I shouldn’t be here</em>. Something inside him said.<em> I should leave.</em><br/>“Yes, Sephiroth. I need you here” Angeal answered in a steady tone, and Sephiroth noticed all the cheer had left his voice. The Silver General looked up at his friend, but all he saw was a determined, steel like gaze aimed his way “we should keep moving, we are almost there.” Angeal said.<br/><br/>Sephiroth tried again, making it a little further as he gripped the rubble for support. His gaze darting back and forth frantically, looking for some kind of escape. He had never had an episode happen so quickly. The build up could last hours or days and even then he was usually able to fight it as long as he could until he was in a location with some degree of privacy.<br/><br/>He had no such luxury here, each pain and nauseating feeling came on quickly, and with it he felt the desire to leave get stronger - but curiously, Sephiroth noticed, it wasn’t anything to do with Angeal. He didn't want his friend to see, obviously.<br/><br/>But there was something else here. Something he needed to stay away from.  That scent was getting stronger. It felt like someone had put bleach up his nose. It made his eyes water.<br/>It was acidic, metallic. Poison.<br/><br/>“Angeal I must insist we turn around. Something is wrong” Sephiroth tried again, his legs shaking. He felt the pain in his stomach and back keenly.<br/><br/>Angeal was watching Sephiroth. Watched his grip on his stomach and hair, watched how he hunched over. Watched the sweat pour off him and the dilation and retraction of his Feline eyes. He saw the panic and the fear. It wasn’t anything he had seen in Sephiroth before.<br/><br/>Angeal hadn’t expected the Parasite would realize what was happening until Cloud was visible to them. He knew it would lash out but not this early.<br/><br/>“Sephiroth” Angeal began turning to face his friend “something <em>is</em> wrong, you are correct. But I must insist  we keep moving. You’re almost there…“ he tried to encourage his Friend.<br/>Angeal hated seeing Sephiroth like this. It hurt as much as he thought it would. And was reminded once again, of Genesis.<br/>This is what his husband felt. This is what he went through. alone. It made Angeal sick and angry.<br/><br/>Sephiroth shook his head. “Ang” he tried again “Angeal I am ill” he turned away attempting to go back to the car, to anyplace but the ruins. But he was deep in the episode's grip now. Each step was agony. He felt sick. His head hurt and his back felt… wrong.<br/><br/>“You are right,” he heard from behind him “You are Falling, Seph. and I will not allow you to fall further” Sephiroth froze mid step. Angeal…<br/><br/>“You know...”<br/><br/>“ of course I know.. I knew in the elevator the other day as well.”  of course Angeal would pick up on the little things. He hadn’t expected his friend to draw the conclusion so quickly. Sephiroth hoped he had hidden it well.. How many others knew…<br/><em>It's a trap. </em>Something in him said viciously. And Sephiroth realised then. That, while Angeal had convinced him Masamune would not have been needed. Angeal hadn’t hesitated in bringing his Buster sword and had a smaller blade strapped to his side. Sephiroth turned his head to face his friend. His eyes wide.<br/><br/>“You lured me here…”<br/><br/>“Yes”<br/><br/>“To kill me?”<br/><br/>“No” Angeal shook his head “To save you”<br/><br/>Sephiroth looked back to the car. Then to the ground. He saw the sweat drip from his brow and hit the dry dirt under him, right next to a single, Black, feather.<br/>He chuckled bitterly.<br/><br/>“You are too late, Angeal. I cannot be saved..” he turned “I am sorry.. I hid this from you, Like Genesis.. I...I don’t want to Fall…”<br/><br/>“You won’t… if you come with me we can stop this now” Angeal tried again but Sephiroths eyes narrowed dangerously.<br/><br/>“I don’t know where you are taking me but something is telling me I shouldn’t follow you”<br/><br/>“That's the parasite! It's trying to control you!”<br/><br/>“Parasite?” Sephiroth raised a brow, the pain was getting to be too much, his voice was strained with it. “What Parasite?” he spat,  “The Fallen are what we all inevitably become. I have seen it! So many of my men Fell in Kalm. we are beasts Angeal. Gaia made us her  monsters to fight the monsters our ancestors created, and our shelf life is decidedly poor” he spat. “I resent our world for making us this way.  But It is our punishment. <em>We are the parasites!</em>”<br/><br/>“That's not true Seph. you have to believe me. You have to follow me”<br/><br/>“I will go nowhere with you! If you truly want to help you allow me to leave the city! To protect as many innocents as we can!” Sephiroth fell to his knees unable to hold up his weight anymore “please, Angeal.. Please…” his breathing was coming in ragged gasps and he looked at his friend disperingly “I thought I was stronger, I thought.. I could fight it.. “ his body was wracked with pain again, causing him to bend and twist. He clutched his stomach, his head pressed against the ground.<br/><br/>Angeal watched with mounting horror and moved to Sephiroth's side, gripping his shoulders.  He watched the leather of Sephiroth's outfit stretch at his back.. Like something was trying to force its way free from under it. “Angeal… I beg you… Kill me” Angeal shook his head.<br/><br/>“No!”<br/><br/>“Kill me!” Sephiroth shouted, his voice sounded graveled and so unlike its usual melodic tone.<br/><br/>“No! I will carry you to the Church if I have to-”<br/><br/>“Noo<em>o</em><b><em>oOOoo!” </em></b>the growl was loud, like thunder from Sephiroth's chest. His arm  pushed out. And Angeal jumped back narrowly avoiding the, now, clawed swipe. He watched Sephiroth scream in agony, his body convulsing as a single large black wing forced its way free in a spray of blood and feathers.<br/><br/>Angeal went for his  radio, “change of plans I need you all out here now!” he spoke hurriedly.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>The air in the church had been tense all morning. Aerith had finally gotten Cloud to stop pacing and sit with her in the flower patch. Zack waited by the door, it was open enough for him to look out without being seen from the otherside. Kunsel busied himself in otherways. At first by cleaning the church a little, moving broken pews and wood aside, clearing a potential battlefield, and then by sharpening his sword.<br/><br/>Cloud fiddled with his own weapons he had been given a sword and a Pistol by Zack and from Angeal, for the first time he felt uncomfortable with both weapons. The idea of having to fight his mate sickened him to his core.<br/><br/>“Hopefully we don’t have to use them.” Aerith said, attempting to sound  comforting. But she held her own staff firmly and close.<br/><br/>Cloud could only sigh. And the noise made Kunsel look up and watch the two Omegas.<br/>“I wish it was different,” Cloud said as he picked at the dirt under them. “What if he hates me?”<br/><br/>“He won't” Aerith tried<br/><br/>“But he might? This isn't’ exactly going to be the smoothest first meetings”<br/><br/>“If he doesn’t like you then he is a fool” Kunsel said “you’re saving his life.” he went back to his work.<br/><br/>“I  agree with Sel. we all like you. I don’t see why Sephiroth won't like you either” Aerith tried again “try to be optimistic Cloud”<br/><br/>Cloud grumbled, but relented to his friends. He felt awful. Anxiety twisting around in his gut.<br/>“You said you knew when you would meet Zack? How did you feel about it Aerith?” he asked her. Trying to distract himself.<br/><br/>“Oh, I felt awful!” Aerith said with a chuckle “I didn’t know what day I would meet him until I met you. The whole time i was dragging you to the church all i could think about was how i wasn’t wearing my best dress”<br/><br/>Zack chuckled from where he was by the door “I thought you were pretty when we first met”<br/><br/>“No offence Zack, but you are biased” Kunsel pointed out.<br/><br/>“Whatever, the point is; Spike shouldn’t worry. Sephiroth won't care what he looks like he will be happy when he sees him, regardless of the dress he wears”<br/><br/>“I think you missed more of the conversation than you realised dude” Kunsel chuckled “this isn't about Clouds dress”<br/><br/>“I’m not wearing a dress!” Cloud said indignantly, in fact he was wearing his infantry uniform again. He wouldn't admit that he had considered something else. A nice fitted suit or any of his other nicer clothes<br/><br/>“I think Cloud would like good in  Dress,” Aerith said with another giggle. Cloud blushed madly.<br/><br/>“I would never wear a dress”<br/><br/>“Famous last words Bud” Kunsel snickered. “Famous last words”<br/><br/>The group laughed and Aerith bumped into Clouds shoulder playfully.<br/>Neither noticed Zack suddenly turning and grabbing his radio, the Alpha opened the Church door and peered out. Then stepped out completely.<br/>Kunsel saw him, and stood up grabbing his weapons.<br/><br/>“Heads up” he said to the two giggling Omegas, they both stopped abruptly, and stood as well. The tension was palpable as they waited for Zack to return.<br/><br/>When he finally did it was at a run,  Zack  had practically sprinted back to the Church “Cloud we need you out here now!” he demanded, all of their previous levity gone from his eyes. He turned without waiting for them, drawing his sword. And running back out the church.,<br/><br/>Kunsel was first to follow, his own blade already in his hand.<br/>Cloud shook. He was frozen in place and the clouds above the city thundered dangerously.<br/>He could feel Aerith grab his hand and speak to him. But he couldn't get his legs to move.<br/><br/>What had happened? What had gone wrong?<br/><br/>“Cloud, it's ok. You can do this” Aerith pulled at him. “I believe in you. Sephiroth needs you!”<br/>She turned, hearing Kunsel call them again “please Cloud you need to move”<br/>Cloud looked to her, his eyes wide. But then-<br/><br/>The most Gut wrenching and terrifying scream reached their ears. It was long and painful, and instantly Cloud jumped back into action. Instinct taking over and filling him with adrenaline.<br/><br/>He ran to the church doors and barreled out of them and down the stairs. He heard the scream again this time much closer. He out ran Kunsel and saw Zack just as the Alpha rounded a corner.  Cloud was totally focused. It was like something preternatural had taken over his body. He forgot all about his own worries and could only focus on his mate. His mate, that was in terrible pain.<br/><br/>Cloud caught up with Zack and was forced to skid to a halt or he would have run into the man. Zack was battle ready, his sword out, facing forward he didn’t once glance back at Cloud. Cloud looked past him then and saw what had made him stop.<br/><br/>Angeal was on his ass, staring with awed horror at Sephiroth. Sephiroth, who was screaming in agony, curled up in a near ball, his hands on his head, with one large black wing outstretched behind him.<br/><br/>Cloud felt a myriad of emotions flood his body. He was terrified, and enraged. And he hurt, It was nearly too much and he almost crumpled to the floor himself. Sephiroth screamed again, his body looking like it was being forcibly contorted bent so his back arched..it looked unnatural it looked…<br/><br/>Like he was being used as a Puppet….<br/><br/>Cloud realised then that the fear and anger he was feeling hadn’t just been his own. It was Sephiroths too; It was Sephiroth, who reached out frantically for help with his mind.<br/>Cloud clenched his fists, his fear replaced with something else. This was his mate! He would save him!<br/><br/>He walked forward looking at nothing else but Sephiroth, he didn't even Feel Kunsel try to grab him by the arm to pull him back.<br/>Angeal looked up at him and nodded, the Alpha stood and drew his own sword, ready. But Cloud didn't care.<br/><br/>“Sephiroth” Cloud said his name when he was a few feet away. The Alphas head whipped around to pin him with an unseeing glare, once blue, twinged with green eyes were turning a reddy purple and glowing dangerously.<br/><br/>“<b><em>STOP!</em></b>”  he spat, and Cloud felt a wave of malevolence hit him, he suddenly felt sick to his stomach and stopped moving, his hesitation was greeted with a dark chuckle<br/><br/>“<b><em>You are too late~ you have lost. This body is mine~</em></b>”  Sephiroth licked his lips, almost  seductively,  but it reminded Cloud of a predator that had just spotted its prey “<b><em>and soon yours will be as well, once I deal with these nuisances</em></b>” it looked around to Angeal, Zack and Kunsel.<br/><br/>Cloud growled and shook his head,“I won’t tolerate you anymore, Parasite. Give me my mate!”<br/><br/>“<b><em>How sweet</em></b>” the parasite mocked “<b><em>you think you can stop me</em></b>”<br/><br/>“You will leave Sephiroth's body” the winds picked up and Cloud took another step. Sephirth went back on his hunches, looking like a large panther about to pounce on its prey, he hissed, or the thing inside his body hissed viciously. Cloud kept his expression as neutral as he could. But the winds whirled around him picking up debris and feathers as it did. The sky darkened further and thunder rumbled.<br/><br/>The Parasite hissed again and stood to Sephiroth's full height. Cloud barely made it to the man's collarbone. But the Omega wasn’t fazed even as the giant black wing moved to circle around them both.<br/><br/>Cloud heard running behind him “stop!” he demanded, he assumed it was Kunsel and Zack. “Don't get any closer, I can handle this” he steadied his breathing and tried to ignore the sickly smirk that crossed his Mates features.<br/><br/>The wing continued its movement, circling around Cloud and forcing him to take a few more steps into the cocoon as it brushed past his back.<br/><br/>“<b><em>Well.. how will you take care of me, little Thing?</em></b>” the Parasite asked, its voice sounding a little too sweet.<br/>“<b><em>Will it be with that blade?” </em></b> It nodded to Cloud back.  “<b><em>Do you intend to cut me out? He’ll die.</em></b>”  it moved the few steps closer to Cloud, a clawed hand reaching up to circle Clouds neck. The tips of razor-like talons pressing into pale skin. It didn't draw blood however. Cloud could feel the twitching, the desire to squeeze and puncture his neck. but the Parasite resisted.<br/>“<b><em>Not that you will have time to do it....sweet Thing. I’ll rip out your throat first</em></b>” the parasite continued on,  licking its lips again and lent closer, so warm breath brushed Clouds cheek<br/>“<b><em>Maybe I will allow your mate to be aware enough to witness it. To feel your warm blood wash over his hands. To taste your tears</em></b>” it licked him then, up his cheek in a perverse show of  almost affection. of ownership. <br/><br/>Cloud rested the desire to pull back, to grimace  at the touch and the lick and  kept himself as still as possible. He tried to shut out the Parasites' words. To ignore the warm breath on his skin, He searched within himself, like Aerith had shown him over and again. To be the calm within his own storm. he could get out of this, he could get through the Sephiroth,  he was sure of it. he felt the talon like fingers flex again, digging into his tender skin then pulling back and holding steady.. almost gently....</p><p><br/>A thought struck him, Cloud smiled gently up at the creature wearing Sephiroth’s skin like a mask. <br/>“You can’t” he said softly as he stared into those red glowing eyes, “you can't kill me”<br/>The Parasite reared back, and hissed “if you could you already would have!” Cloud said with a little more confidence in his voice. it was getting clearer to him now. in Sector Seven the Parasite had lashed out  to keep him away, not to kill him. it had sensed him then like it had now,  it had tried to get Sephiroth to leave, to run away.  it confronted Cloud in the life stream to try and scare him away. to threaten him with a show of power but relented, because  it it couldn't kill him, could barely even touch him.<br/><br/>the Parasite snarled, and pulled back as if it had been burned.  Cloud used that moment to his advantage when he summoned the storm, the winds that had been swirling around him were forced outward towards Sephiroth. <b><br/></b><br/>The Parasite that had already been leaning back away from Cloud was off its feet, and forced away, The wing that it had circled around them both was blown wide in a tempest of feathers. And there was an audible pained gasp as the Parasite was slammed into an opposing piece of rubble.<br/><br/>The wind picked up loose feathers and rock and roots.<br/>Cloud took a step forward, As a localized storm formed. Not in Sector five but around Cloud and Sephiroth solely. <br/>Angeal ran forward attempting to grab Cloud, but the force of the storm pushed him back. He called after the Omega but his voice was lost in the concentrated Maelstrom.<br/><br/>Wind and rain beat at Cloud and Sephiroth, but neither paid any attention.<br/>“ <b> <em>You think your show of power will scare me,Thing? You cannot save what is  already lost to you. Your precious Alpha has already given up</em> </b> ” it said as it tried to peel itself away from the rock it had been forced against,<br/><br/>“No” Cloud said loud enough for the Parasite to hear him “you will not kill him -” he took a few more steps unheading of his own storm.<br/>“ if you had any power at all. You would have already killed me and taken him away.” Cloud said confidently.” you cannot kill me, or him.” Cloud put as much authority into his voice as he could, his plan seemed to be working, his guess was right. The Parasite could not use Sephiroth to hurt Cloud directly. <br/><br/>The Parasite hissed “ <b> <em>I will ruin this planet and remake it as my own!</em> </b> ” Cloud ignored the threat, and continued marching forward. “ <b> <em>You cannot remove me from this body!</em> </b> ” it protested, even as the black shadow formed around Sephiroth. His wing had been caught in the vortex, before finally dissipating in a swarm of more Feathers.<br/><br/>From the outside it looked as though Cloud was using the storm to suck out the Parasite like one would suck out poison from a wound.  Sephiroth was buffeted by the wind and hail and rain.  Blackness leaked from his eyes and mouth and ears.  The creature roared its protest. its hatred for Cloud came at him in waves. it made the Omega feel sick to his stomach, but he pressed on. He wouldn't run this time. <br/><br/>“Release him. Now. ” Cloud demanded. The Parasite hissed and lashed out with its clawed hands. But the talons could not make contact with Cloud, could barely reach him; <br/> one  clawed hand froze right as he was about to strike Clouds cheek. It was like all the muscles went into spasm,  Cloud smiled again, his eyes sparkling.<br/><br/>“Sephiroth” he said, talking to his mate for the first time directly “you’re fighting I know you are.. We can win this. I can pull it out but you need to force it from your body too” the Parasite made garbled noises. Its face twitched and twisted and one red eye faded to brilliant Green.<br/><br/>“Kill… me”  Cloud heard Sephiroth's broken plea and his heart felt like breaking, his resolve to fight almost lost with that request. Sephiroth was in agony.<br/>“I… don't… want to… kill.. You” Sephiroth was fighting for every word.<br/><br/>Cloud shook his head though, fighting back tears and stealing his resolve<br/>“No you can fight this Sephiroth”<br/><br/>“It's… not… it's me…. I can't fight… nature. Please”<br/><br/>“It's not you, it's a parasite inside you. Sephiroth listen to me.. I need you to focus on me. Only me. I want to help”<br/><br/>The Alphas breathing was erratic and his eyes darted about as he tried to focus on the omega. But his vision was blurred, but….<br/><br/>“Your voice… I know it”<br/><br/>Cloud smiled “yes…focus on it. We can fight this together”<br/><br/>“Together….?”<br/><br/><br/>Sephiroth winced then, and closed his eyes, his hands going to his head and clutching at his temples. He couldn't understand what was happening. He felt like he knew this person this… this… this omega… it was the omega trying to help him. But all he could imagine was killing this creature in front of him.  He saw images in his mind of his own hand tearing out the throat of the Omega, Of eating him alive.<br/><br/>He wanted to cry. To scream at the man in front of him to run. To leave him.<br/>Sephiroth sobbed and lent forward, prostrating himself before Cloud<br/>“Please… please…” he was going to kill this Omega. He felt hands on his back and hair. Gently rubbing against his shoulder and through his silver locks.  It was so gentle. So calming. It felt right. It was just what he wanted, what he needed.<br/>He  felt himself fading again. He wanted to run,to fight, to disappear,  anything, The pain was too great. And yet-  he could no longer feel the weight of the wing on his back.<br/><br/>“ <b> <em>....you have achieved nothing from this</em> </b> ” Sephiroth heard the hissing voice behind him, it sounded unnerving calm and feminine.  And another shock of pain struck him.  “ <b> <em>There are others. There will always be others. The Alphas of this world are mine, this world is mine.</em> </b> ”<br/><br/>Cloud looked up from Sephiroth. He felt himself shaking. The magical vortex around them had done most of his work it seemed. He could barely see the image of the dark phoenix. But it was there. Looming over him and Sephiroth. Clinging to the Alphas wounded back with a single hooked claw.<br/><br/>The creature lent forward it’s wickedly sharp, silhouetted features, were dangerously close to the Omega, it’s red eyes pinning Cloud with an unblinking venomous stare.<br/>“ <b> <em>Sephiroth will never be yours. He may not survive my passing. Or his own guilt.</em> </b> ” the shapeless voice cackled then “ <b> <em>there is no guarantee you will survive it either. Such a shame, I would have enjoyed you, little thing</em> </b> ” the Phoenix reared back again and tugged sharply on Sephiroth, experimenting its loosening grip. The tug caused bolts of pain to shoot through the Alpha causing him to let out a choked scream and fall further to the ground. His body shaking his muscles going into spasm like he had been electrocuted.<br/><br/>The Phoenix paid him no mind, its eyes focused solely on Cloud. “ <b> <em>I see your exhaustion-your pain. Omegas truly are fragile creatures</em> </b> ”<br/><br/>Cloud shook his head, trying to block out the words as he focused on the single black thread of power connecting the parasite to Sephiroth. Channeling his power to force the  creature to leave. All the while he spoke comforting words to Sephiroth, rubbing his shoulder. He wasn't even sure if the Alpha was still awake.  He felt his ears ringing, his eyes stung, he was pretty sure his nose was bleeding...<br/><br/><br/>The Phoenix flapped its large wing. It other seemed to have been blasted away in the vortex, “ <b> <em>so determined.</em> </b> ” it said in its hissing, calm, voice. “ <b> <em>Fine.... I tire of this game anyway. I have other ways to get what I desire. This Alpha was but  a single piece of a larger plan</em> </b> ”<br/><br/>The Phoenix simply let go of Sephiroth then, and the Alpha sat up, his body arched back as he gasped like he was finally treading water in an ocean he had been drowning in. finally able to breath. <b> <em><br/></em> </b><br/>Cloud released the vortex around them and gasped as well. He felt like he had run a marathon, all the energy draining out of him as the space around them cleared, feathers and other debris  fell to the ground.  For a long moment they sat there, on their knees gasping. Sephiroth's face turned skyward and his vision became his own again, he watched two birds fly overhead and up towards the plates.. It felt surreal, like he was in a dream. His mind was clearing...<br/><br/>Finally the Alpha looked down to the Omega sitting on his knees before him, the air he had been gasping for left his body as for the first time he truly saw the Omega. He wasn't a blurr. He wasn't running away in the distance.<br/><br/>“H-hello,..Cloud” Sephiroth said softly, somewhat bewildered, unsure from where he knew the Omegas name. He seemed awestruck by Cloud's visage.<br/><br/>Cloud smiled tiredly “Hello…Sephiroth… ” he responded. “Are you ok?” the question was asked instinctively<br/><br/>Sephiroth shook his head “I-i should be asking you that, Surely?” the Omega before him looked awful. Dirty and wet from rain, bleeding from his nose, his hair was a mess, the shadows around his eyes  were deep.<br/><br/>Oh but what hair and eyes they were. Stunningly blonde even with all the muck, like the sun above them. And sapphire blue eyes. Like the sky. Pure and beautiful.<br/><br/>Cloud huffed “No. I asked first… but I suppose.. We both look awful…”  he swayed a little,  feeling utterly exhausted… Sephiroth was safe. He had done it… he wasn't entirely sure how. But he had removed the parasite from his Alpha… they could relax now. At least for now.<br/><br/>“ in fact...if you don't mind…” Cloud started to say “I need..to-to rest my eyes a little… can I just…”  he fell forward into Sephiroth then. The Alpha catching him in time before the Omega could hurt himself further.<br/><br/>Sephiroth panicked and lifted Cloud a little, turning him so he could cradle the Omega. He heard footsteps and looked up to see Angeal running over with Zack and Kunsel and a woman following him.<br/><br/>“He’s-”Sephiroth started to say but Angeal stopped him<br/><br/>“He Will be fine, ” Sephiroth looked back to the Omega again, indeed Cloud was sleeping soundly. His breathing even.<br/><br/>“...What happened? How do I know him?” Sephiroth asked, finally looking back at Angeal. His friend smiled at him.<br/><br/>“Can we tell you after we get you both someplace to dry and clean up… ah- sir” Kunsel said he was shifting his weight from one foot to the other,  torn between jumping to his friends' side and giving them space.<br/><br/>“My house isn't far. C’mon” Aerith said pointing in the direction.<br/>Angeal looked to Sephiroth, and the silver general nodded, still very much perplexed by what had happened. He was confused, exhausted, and realizing in that moment, just how much pain he was in.<br/><br/>“Angeal can you take him.. My back..”  Angeal didn't hesitate; he scooped Cloud up and stood waiting for Sephiroth to join him. Which took several moments and a few stumbles.<br/><br/>Aerith led the two generals ahead while Kunsel and Zack hung back.<br/>Both had their gaze turned to the gap between the plates. Towards the clear blue sky that neither had seen in nearly a month. Zack whistled.<br/><br/>“....I didn't know he could do that,” Zack spoke as he put his hands on his hips.<br/><br/>Kunsel didn't answer, he was just as awestruck and dumbfounded as Zack. the entire event had been unlike anything he had seen before.<br/><br/>“I don't think Cloud needs us to protect him anymore,”  Zack said, keeping his gaze turned upward.<br/><br/>Kunsel chuckled, finally, and shook his head. “I don't think he ever did,”  Zack joined him in the chuckle. Of course Cloud didn't need them to protect him, Especially now.<br/>The duo set off to follow their party. All around them dark feathers disintegrated into smoke, a gentle spring breeze carried it away...</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am so sorry this Chapter took so long. work has been a bugger, and this ended up being the hardest chapter for anything i have had to write. I'm still not entirely satisfied.  its already gone through several rewrites and might continue to see edits in the future.  I have had a few people read it and bounce ideas with them. thank you everyone who helped.<br/>building up a meeting for ten chapters and then having to deliver is hard. would not recommend. lol</p><p>that said. I am glad it is done. now the real work for Cloud and Sephiroth will begin.<br/>i hope at least you enjoy it. and leave a kudos and comment. i read every one and cherish them.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Only the Best.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Every muscle in Cloud's body protested to him waking up. The second he floated back into consciousness, Cloud felt like he had run a marathon. He didn't even want to open his eyes<br/>The Blonde Omega groaned and tried to ignore the world just for a little longer. He didn't even know where he was, and was too tired to care. <br/><br/>That is until the strong arm, that had been draped over his middle like a heavy comforter blanket pulled him close to the warm hard body he was next to. Cloud felt the other occupant of the bed release a sigh and bury their face into his hair. <br/><br/>Clouds eyes snapped open and he realised he was face to chest with an Alpha. <br/>Not just any Alpha, his Alpha. <br/><br/>Sephiroth was sound asleep,  Cloud could feel the warm puffs of air with every breath the Alpha took against his hair, assuring him that it wasn’t a dream. They had succeeded. Sephiroth was safe from the Parasite and sleeping next to him in a bed. Cuddling up to Cloud like it was right. Because it was. Their bodies seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces. <br/><br/>Carefully, slowly, Cloud reached a hand out pressing his palm and spreading his fingers against the bare and bandaged chest in front of him  he felt a great sense of relief and satisfaction when he felt the smooth, rhythmic beating of the Alphas heart. It was the most comforting feeling Cloud had felt in his life. Carefully he tried shifting a little closer. And was aided when the arm tightened around him just a touch more. Allowing Cloud to get in a position where he could  press his cheek and ear against Sephiroth's Chest. <br/><br/><em> Ba-thump.. Ba-thump.. Ba-thump. </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> <br/></em> Cloud closed his eyes again and sighed. He felt utterly calm, the only thing that would make this better was if he could  look up at Sephiroth's sleeping expression. To see him, for the first time, not in any pain, or sneering. But the way he was pinned to the man listening to his heart beating was the next best thing. <br/>The Omega breathed in his Alphas scent. Under the leather, blood, soaps he could smell it. Faintly. <br/><br/>Sephiroth's scent was masculine. Heady. It reminded Cloud of the forest after a summer rain.  It was unlike anything he had experienced before and knew he would never forget the scent. Cloud tried to shift a little to get a better sniff at his Alpha. To look up towards his shoulder and the scent gland he knew was there. <br/><br/>He felt rather than heard Sephiroth groan in protest at his movements. The grip around him tightened as Sephiroth made his complaint known, and Cloud stilled in his arms. <br/>He heard the Alpha mumble something into his hair, then he moved and groaned again. <br/>Then… <br/><br/>There was a sudden burst of movement as Sephiroth launched himself backwards  and off the bed with a gasp. He landed unceremoniously on his ass with a loud thump against the wooden floor. <br/><br/>Sephiroth scooted further away from the bed, until his aching back was against the furthest wall. He was gasping, shaking, staring at the blonde Omega infront of him with wide eyes. <br/><br/>Cloud moved again. Sitting up with the same wide eyed expression, though looking more hurt than shocked. <br/><br/>“Don’t move!” Sephiroth begged, his voice sounding rough from sleep and yelling. “Don’t get closer. Just-just leave!” <br/><br/>“Leave? Seph-” <br/><br/>“I’ll hurt you. go while you can Omega!” <br/><br/>Cloud shifted to the edge of the bed. “Calm down.” he said gently “please… just take a moment.”  Sephiroth said nothing, his eyes darting around the room looking for some kind of escape like a prey animal. <br/><br/>Cloud watched as the realisation slowly dawned on the Alpha. <br/>Sephiroth remembered what had happened before. Remembering what happened <br/>“..Cloud…?” he asked slowly, his eyes finally back on the Omega. <br/><br/>“Hey” Cloud greeted with a half smile.”you scared me” <br/><br/>“I.. scared myself… I don't remember getting into bed I must have passed out” <br/>Sephiroth pulled himself up, wincing at the pain he felt in his back and chest. <br/>“I should.. Leave. Find another room. my apologies” <br/><br/>“No!”  Cloud reached for Sephiroth, jumping from the bed. “We- I… please stay” <br/>Sephiroth froze, staring at Cloud and then took two steps closer, close enough for Cloud to touch. The Omega  gently put his hand back on the Alphas chest, where he had it before. Feeling the steady heart beat under his fingers. It was slowing back to calm and he could see Sephiroth melting into the touch. <br/>“This.. is where you belong..” Cloud said softly inching a little closer, looking up at Sephiroth. <br/><br/>The world around them seemed to vanish as they gazed at one another. Sephiroth wasn't entirely sure what was happening, he felt drawn-pulled towards Cloud. He still had no idea what had happened to him, was he still Falling? Was he going to turn at any moment? <br/>“How do you know this..?” Sephiroth asked absently “I could hurt you… kill you even.” <br/><br/>“You won't kill me.” Cloud chuckled and pressed a little closer his hand still resting on Sephiroth's chest the other making its way to his shoulder <br/><br/>Sephiroth was surprised to discover  his own hands had moved one was on Clouds cheek, the other at his side, clutching Cloud closer. <br/>“Why doesn’t this alarm me?” <br/><br/>“Because this is where you are meant to be Sephiroth” The Alpha shuddered as Cloud spoke his name. It was so sweet and sinful at the same time. <br/><br/>“Omegas are not meant to be.. This is close to Alphas. This is.. This is-” <br/><br/>“You are my Mate Sephiroth” Cloud said affirmingly. Yes. mates. they were meant to be here. This is why it didn't alarm them. This is what Zack and Aerith felt when they first met. What they still felt. They were meant to share the same space. <br/><br/>“What does that mean?” <br/><br/>“I don’t know” the gap between them was getting ever smaller. Time had no meaning. <br/>“But I want to find out with you” They could have been gazing at one another for years and neither would have noticed. The world could have crumbled around them and neither would have cared. <br/><br/>“Yo guys I heard a bang is every-” Cloud was suddenly yanked from his  dream, and realised very quickly that he had been pushed back to the bed, and fallen on his rear while Sephiroth was once again at the other end of the room, looking very much alarmed and guilty. Staring, not at him, But Zack who had paused mid step, the door handle still in his grasp. <br/><br/>“Sorry.” Zack said sheepishly “I should have knocked…” he looked between the two. Cloud looked embarrassed  and annoyed and Sephiroth seemed to be trying to pretend Cloud wasn't even in the room with him. “Did I interrupt something?” <br/><br/>“Yes-” “ <b>No</b> !” <br/><br/>Cloud shot a glare at Sephiroth, who had spoken over him. The Alpha continued to ignore him “Lieutenant care to explain how I ended up here?” Sephiroth demanded. <br/><br/>Zack looked between the too for a moment longer biting his lip nervously. <br/>“You.. passed out sir. Halfway to Ae- to my girlfriends house. Me and Kunsel had to carry you between us the rest of the way” <br/><br/>Sephiroth seemed to hesitate then, embarrassed by his weakness and still doing his best to ignore the glaring Omega. “I must speak with General Hewley” he grabbed his shirt from where it was folded on the dresser  and his boots as he strode passed Zack, making his escape. <br/><br/>Cloud crossed his arms over his chest and turned his glare to Zack <br/>“Thanks,” he said finally, hissing through his teeth. <br/><br/>“Sorry Spike” Zack said sheepishly <br/><br/>“He still has no idea about the whole Mate thing” Cloud stood grabbing his own boots from the  corner of the room  “he’s going to think he was breaking laws or something! When he woke up he thought he was still Falling! Gaia he’s going to run!” <br/><br/>“Want me to break his legs” Zack offered unhelpfully “it might slow him down?” <br/><br/>“I’ll break your legs”  Cloud tucked in his shirt and quickly checked himself in the mirror. He didn't look too bad, all things considered. “C’mon we gotta explain what's happening” he pushed passed Zack and followed Sephiroth down the stairs. <br/><br/>When he reached the bottom  he was greeted by an awkward looking Kunsel, Aerith and  Elmyra. <br/><br/>“I don’t know what happened Bud but Sephiroth just dragged Angeal out of the house and started yelling”  Kunsel sipped his Coffee after he spoke trying to break the tension. <br/><br/>“Zack happened,” Cloud said just as the Alpha made it to the bottom of the stairs. <br/><br/>“Zack!” Aerith exclaimed, annoyed. <br/><br/>“I was in the bathroom and  heard a bang I thought one of them was hurt or something!” Zack defended trying to make himself look small in front of the others. “They were having a.. Moment” <br/><br/>Cloud grumbled something  under his breath and stalked from the house, ignoring the rest of the conversation. the others could chew out Zack and he had more important things to do. <br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>“None of this makes any sense!” <br/><br/>“It would make perfect sense if you just calmed down and listened” Angeal stood with his arms crossed over his chest watching Sephiroth pace back and forward in the Garden, he kept his voice as calm as he could. Even as his Alpha instincts made me want to react to Sephiroth's aggressive attitude. <br/><br/>“You had no idea what would happen! I could have killed you, your son, and the future president of Shinra!” Sephiroth hissed “you had no right! You should have killed me when I asked.” <br/><br/>“But you didn’t. The plan worked; you’re bonded with Cloud and he forced the Parasite from your body” Angeal explained, again. <br/><br/>“ <em> There. </em> Right there, that doesn't make sense.” <br/><br/>“How?” <br/><br/>“No one has ever been cured of the Falling before.” Sephiroth put his hands on his hips “and bonded? Really? Omegas are not meant to be with Alphas. We cannot ‘bond’ with them. If this gets out I will be executed for your foolishness” <br/><br/>“The laws are wrong.” Angeal said plainly, with a shrug “Omegas aren't meant to be with other Omegas. And each Omega has a mate, one chosen before they are even born, by the Ancients themselves. You are Clouds” <br/><br/>Sephiroth's felt heat rise to his cheeks. But he couldn't be sure if he felt more embarrassed or infuriated by how calm Angeal was being, how matter of fact he sounded. like they were talking about the weather. <br/><br/>Sephiroth sucked in his breath and released it slowly trying to calm himself. On one hand he was relieved, he had expected he would die soon- He had prepared for it even. He knew Angeal had been telling the truth in that regard; he was no longer becoming a Fallen. He could feel it. He felt lighter than he had in years. <br/><br/>Sephiroth had no idea how or why, And he struggled to believe Angeals explanation. It was just… too easy and its implications were far too great. For himself and to the wider world. <br/><br/>Sephiroth felt  a pull inside himself then, like a warm tingling through his chest, instinctively he turned to look back towards the house, expectantly. <br/>Angeal  uncrossed his arms and looked perplexed for a moment, until he saw Cloud round the corner. Looking as grim as Sephiroth had been. <br/><br/>“You told him?” Cloud asked, pointedly ignoring Sephiroth. The Alpha felt the sting and was surprised that he didn't want to be ignored by Cloud, then he felt the shame, he had done the same to Cloud in the bedroom. No- worse. He had pushed Cloud away…pushed.. His Mate away... <br/><br/>“I did. As best I as could” <br/><br/>“Thank you. Erm.. you should rescue Zack. I left him to the others after he interrupted us” Cloud rubbed his arm awkwardly avoiding eye contact. “I think Sephiroth and I need to talk”</p><p><br/>Angeals lips quirked into a smile and he nodded finally turning back to Sephiroth. <br/>“I hope.. This doesn't come between us. Everything I did was to help you my friend. I couldn't bare to lose you to the Falling not after-” <br/><br/>“Nor I, you.” Sephiroth answered, his head bowed. “T-thank you Angeal, really… its just a lot to take in” <br/><br/>“Thank your Life Mate” Angeals eyes sparkled  at the little victory, and he hurried away leaving Cloud and Sephiroth alone in the flower patch <br/><br/>They were silent for a long time, barely looking at one another but for a few surreptitious glances, Cloud chose to sit down like he did in the Church often, listening to the flowers like Aerith taught him. He wasn't exactly sure how he could talk to Sephiroth. Or what to do next. He had felt like they had jumped the biggest hurdle by removing the parasite but now it seemed like a greater one stood before him. <br/><br/>They weren't Zack and Aerith. It was clear already that both he and Sephiroth would be awkward. And they had to build a relationship up from such shaky beginnings. <br/><br/>Sephiroth tried looking everywhere but Cloud at first. He felt so many emotions he wasn't even sure he could categorize them all. So much had happened, and he couldn't just hide away from it. He swallowed a lump in his throat and finally looked to the Omega and instantly he was awestruck like he had been in the bedroom. But it hit different now. <br/><br/>Cloud was beautiful, but he looked so lost in the sea of flowers, so alone. Sephiroth felt the pang of guilt again; this was his fault he had pushed Cloud away. Denied him. <br/>Sephiroth was struck by how that made him feel. He wanted to make it right. To crawl on his belly and beg forgiveness to the Omega. ...his Omega. <br/><br/>He couldn't deny the connection. Sephiroth had desired nothing, no one in his whole life but now he wanted Cloud. needed him. And they had only just met. Barely shared a conversation.  There was clearly some magic. Some truth to what Angeal had told him. Had their entire culture. Is the entire world wrong about Omegas? It had been the only avenue of research, Sephiroth himself hadn’t investigated, because he had been so sure that the laws that govern them. That the system worked and that the Falling Alphas and dying omegas had to be due to outside sources. <br/><br/>The Alpha inched closer, when the omega didn't react he pushed on. Sephiroth wanted Clouds attention. He didn't want to be ignored. He needed… <br/>Sephiroth knelt and then set beside Cloud. But still the Omega didn’t look up. He was too absorbed with the flowers.  Sephiroth shifted closer. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again, Like a fish. His cat-like eyes dilated wide and he stared at Cloud begging silently for attention. For forgiveness. <br/><br/>Sephiroth glanced at the flowers that seemed to so fascinate The Omega. He spied a small pebble. It was almost a perfect sphere, and pale in the light. It could almost be mistaken for a Materia, he thought. But it was too small. Perhaps a marble that had been lost many years before?  Sephiroth picked it up between his fingers and held it up to get a better look. It was pretty.. <br/><br/>He looked back to Cloud, and, before he could stop himself, Sephiroth carefully reached over with the pebble in hand, and dropped it into Cloud's lap. He pulled back and waited. Cloud picked up the pebble slowly rolling it in his hand for a few moments. <br/><br/>“That's a really weird way of apologizing,” Cloud said softly, finally. He looked up at Sephiroth now, but his expression remained grim, sad almost. <br/><br/>“I’m sorry” Sephiroth finally said “for.. Pushing you away and ignoring you like I did” he glanced to the side “I was confused. And- what I feel is no excuse for how I treated you” <br/><br/>Cloud blinked and lifted his head a little more as if he was asking Sephiroth to continue. <br/><br/>“You… you saved me..” Sephiroth said “thank you…I don’t know how you did it.. But-” <br/><br/>“Neither do I, not really….” Cloud interrupted. “I think it was a mix of my powers and because.. We are..Mates” <br/><br/>“Mates…” Sephiroth let the word  roll off his tongue “that still.. Seems” <br/><br/>“Weird?” Cloud supplied “yeah…” silence drifted between them for a moment. Cloud looked at the pebble in his hand again, rolling it around with his thumb over his palm. <br/><br/>Suddenly he snorted “did you really try to apologize with a rock?” he asked looking back to Sephiroth.  <br/><br/>The Alphas cheeked burned red as he turned away “You- I.. was merely trying to get your attention” he fumbled. “Besides it worked” Sephiroths hesitated “it did… work?” <br/><br/>Cloud smiled at him and looked back to the rock. “Well.. I suppose. It will do… this time” <br/><br/>“This time” <br/><br/>“I want bigger, prettier rocks. I’ll have you hunting the whole city for the best ones” <br/><br/>“Only the best” the both chuckled then the mood finally lifted. <br/><br/>They sat in silence for a long while after that, getting used to one another's company in the flower patch occasionally glancing at one another. <br/>Cloud toyed with the small pebble Sephiroth had given him, he had been given many gifts in his life, but somehow this rock was the greatest. Because it was the first gift his Mate had given him. <br/>“How did you first find out about.. Me?” Sephiroth asked finally, it was the first question he could grasp and seemed like a good way to start. “how did you know I was your...Partner?” <br/><br/>Cloud felt heat rise to his cheek. “Erm.. the Life stream told me...I saw you there for the first time…” he cleared his throat “and I saw the..Fallen” <br/><br/>Sephiroth froze. His blood felt like ice suddenly “Angeal said it was a parasite” he added “its so hard to believe.  I thought I was losing my mind. The idea of being controlled. Being a puppet. I can’t bare to think about it.. I thought i was stronger” <br/><br/>“You are strong!” Cloud burst out turning to Sephiroth “you held on for so long. Fighting alone! I-i took so long to be even able to face you because of that thing.” <br/><br/>“Is that why you caused the Maelstrom?” <br/><br/>“Yes…” Cloud looked away again, ashamed “the Parasite inside you sensed me and I think it knew if i got close you’d be able to break free of it… or I would be able to fight it.. I don’t know- so when you entered Sector Seven it made itself as mencesing and evil as it could and directed all that hate right at me. I had no idea what it was. and I panicked. <br/>When I entered the lifestream it found me there too. When I saw you. It tried again. To scare me away” <br/><br/>“You must have terrified it. For it to try so hard to be rid of you” Sephiroth commented smiling, feeling very proud of Cloud then <br/><br/>“And it couldn't hurt me either.” <br/><br/>“Because it was in me…. I have been searching for the Falling and the decline in Omegas ever since Genesis was taken from us. I knew there was a link. But had never once considered that this would be it…there is so much…” <br/><br/>“So much we don’t know” Cloud finished, they were both getting more animated as the conversion continued “is it a single Parasite hopping from one Alpha to the next? How does it move on if it is? Did we actually kill it? If there is more than one how do we find them?”  Cloud listed off their questions counting them on his fingers. <br/><br/>Sephiroth nodded along “and how do we track down the specific Omega counterpart to the infected Alpha?” <br/><br/>“If there even is one” <br/><br/>“Precisely. that's another can of worms.” Sephiroth’ expression turned grim “do we know how this.. Mate thing works?” <br/><br/>Cloud shook his head “no idea… Zack and Aerith have been dating happily for a little while. Doing things normal couples do.. But Zack gets really agitated if he is away from her too long. And Aerith told me their... Bond isn’t complete yet. If they don’t finish it. We have no idea what will happen. She has been trying to figure stuff out with the Lifestream but it's been so slow.” <br/><br/>“How do you complete a bond?”  Sephiroth asked with a tilt to his head,  his hair falling around his face. <br/><br/>Cloud blushed  and pulled his knees up to his chest. “Well… Angeal has an Idea about that” <br/><br/>“It’s sex isn’t it?” <br/><br/>Cloud squirmed <br/><br/>“It wouldn’t hurt to try,” Sephiroth said plainly, and then looked back to Cloud “not between us of course” he added with a chuckle and a wink “we only just met. But lets lock the puppy and his girlfriend in a room together and see what happens. For science” the Alpha chuckled again, Cloud visibly relaxed and chuckled nervously. <br/><br/>“I won't force you to do anything Cloud…” Sephiroth added after he stopped laughing his expression suddenly turned serious “not that I could anyway” he stood and turned away <br/>“If Zack wishes to play dangerously. And Angeal allows him. That is on them. But you and I cannot be together, not like that” <br/><br/>Cloud felt like the world had shattered around him “w-why?!” he asked standing as well, <br/><br/>“Isn't it obvious- I am a General in SOLDIER, an Alpha. You are the future president of Shinra. An Omega. The laws are strict, but especially for you and I. You know this” <br/>Sephiroth looked to Cloud then, and Omega could see the hurt in his Alpha's eyes. <br/>“If you and I are seen together I will be executed. Slowly. And you will be shamed, ostracized, You will be forced to marry another Omega and bear them children. You may even be denied your rightful place as the light of this world. ” <br/><br/>“Then we won't be seen!” Cloud said. “If Zack can do it so can we.” <br/><br/>“I cannot risk your life that way” <br/><br/>“That's not your choice to make! It's my life, it's mine to risk!” Cloud felt like he was close to tears “you deny me again?” he asked accusingly <br/><br/>“I cannot deny the connection between us. I am drawn to you. I can't stop looking at you, I want to  get to know you-” <br/><br/>“Then get to know me! Please Sephiroth… just give this a chance. If you do.. I-I will dedicate myself more fully to becoming the next President. I will win over support. I will convince people of the right thing and then I will have the laws changed!” <br/>  Cloud moved closer reaching for Sephiroth and clutching the back of his shirt <br/><br/>“I won't let you just go. Not after everything that's happened.” <br/>Sephiroth was silent for a long time, thinking their situation over in his head. He had always been a stickler for the rules, for protical. What was happening went against everything he had been taught. Angeal and the others might be able to break the laws so easily. But he couldn’t. Even if he could admit it was the right thing to do. <br/><br/>On top of that the bond was already strong between them, Sephiroth wanted desperately to turn around, to pick Cloud up and hug him as close as he could. He wanted to breathe in the Omegas scent  to run his fingers through his golden hair.  To kiss the tears from his eyes. <br/>And that frightened Sephiroth <br/><br/>“Can you promise that?” Sephiroth asked “promise me you’ll change the laws the second you take your oath and lead our people. In exchange I will double my efforts to research the cause of the Falling, this Parasite. and... I will try to be a good mate” <br/><br/>“Really?” <br/><br/>“I’m not sure how good I’ll be.. I have never had a Partner before, never had to care for anyone but myself. But I will do what I can, and support you” <br/><br/>Cloud thought for a second, though there wasn't much to think about, of course the answer would be yes, he knew the risk they were taking, he appreciated Sephiroth's willingness to try even  this much. He was sure they could do this. They were going to change the laws and stop the Falling, stop this Parasite. <br/><br/>“I promise,” Cloud said into Sephiroth's back and he felt the Alphas tense muscles relax and he turned then. Wrapping his strong arms around the Omega wordlessly. They would try. They would defy the world together. <br/>“But I want another rock,” Cloud added after a few moments. He felt Sephiroth chuckle. <br/><br/>“Only the best,” Sephiroths said into Clouds hair.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sorry for the long waits between chapters. I get another week off soon so hopefully I can post more then.<br/>pretty sure we have entered the second arc of this story. this story has arcs now. </p><p>i did not plan for this. </p><p>as usual i will edit mistakes i find after posting i kinda just find it easier than doing it before.<br/>thank you all for reading commenting and kudos' this story so far. i read every one of your comments and love them.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Car Rides and Cuddles.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re giving up on SOLDIER, completely?”<br/>
Sephiroth watched Cloud flinch at Kunsels question, the tiny Omega was standing before the rest of the group, he had just announced to them his plan, the promise he had made to Sephiroth.<br/>
<br/>
“I.. well no. I mean… I want to fight next to you and Zack’s side. I always have. But if we are going to change the world for the better, to save everyone I need to ..actually do what I was born to do” Cloud turned his gaze downward, avoiding eye contact with the rest of his group. His friends.<br/>
<br/>
“You are right, of course.” Angeal stated from where he was leant against the wall, not far from Sephiroth “even with our help, it was unlikely you’d ever be allowed into SOLDIER, and, if you had, your experience would not be like anyone else's.” Cloud flinched again and Sephiroth narrowed his eyes.<br/>
<br/>
“ you <em> are </em> a SOLDIER, however, In spirit. One of the core tenets of the Organization is  about doing the right thing, regardless of personal feelings. It's about making sacrifices.” all eyes turned to Sephiroth, Cloud looked up, looking shocked and close to tears.<br/>
Sephiroth merely smiled at him and nodded “you saved me from Falling, Cloud. That alone makes you a great deal braver than half the men I have trained and fought beside. You looked certain death in the face and didn't flinch”<br/>
<br/>
Zack nodded grinning ear to ear “yep, it may not be on paper, but your  SOILDIER first class for sure, Spike.”<br/>
<br/>
“We’re proud of you, Bud.” Kunsel added.<br/>
<br/>
Cloud sniffed and wiped his eyes with his sleeve “you guys…” he half sobbed into his sleeve “stop trying to make it rain!” he laughed suddenly and turned  to the window, outside was brighter and dryer than it had been in a month, he turned back with a bright smile, his eyes still looking glassy with tears.<br/>
<br/>
Angeal snapped his fingers and looked to Sephiroth “Damn, he’s getting too powerful for us”<br/>
Sephiroth chuckled  and shook his head. This group of weirdos was going to try and change the world. Change the very laws written down from scripture. He chuckled again, laughing at the absurdity and still almost not believing any of it. He turned his eyes back to Cloud,  Who was now going over a plan of action with Zack and Kunsel.<br/>
<br/>
“Rufus would be suspicious if you suddenly change your tune”<br/>
<br/>
“I have a plan for that. Don’t worry”<br/>
<br/>
Both Alphas silently looked at one another then back to Cloud “I'm not going back to Jail for you” Kunsel said dryly.<br/>
<br/>
Cloud laughed and Sephiroth sucked in a breath as he felt his gut tighten at the sound. It was an unexpected and unnerving feeling. After so long of nothing his body had been more alive to him now in the past few hours than it had been for years. Sephiroth had caught himself staring at Cloud, watching how his hair bounced, how his hips swayed. The curve of his smile. And his scent. It was electric and addictive.<br/>
He remembered how it had been before. When he was Falling. The putrid scents that invaded his senses. Making him gag. How much had that had Parasite controlled? How much of him had been manipulated?<br/>
<br/>
His sense of smell, taste, it had slowly tried to strip away his humanity one sense at a time. Sephiroth had thought it had been his own insanity,<br/>
<br/>
Cloud had given it all back to him.<br/>
<br/>
He was still unsure, even with Cloud's promise.  To change public opinion in such a drastic manner. To change laws that had been in place for a thousand years.<br/>
They could all be killed. But a part of Sephiroth wanted desperately to believe they could. Cloud had saved his life and the lives of countless others. He was the first Alpha to ever be saved from a Falling. They were making history already.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
The return journey  to Shinra tower was awkward to say the least, Angeal, Kunsel, Sephiroth and Cloud all crowded into the small, black car. Somewhat thankful that Zack had elected to stay behind with Aerith and her mother, five armoured men, most of whom were Alphas in a small sports car, would not have been pleasant.<br/>
<br/>
But the current situation had Cloud and Sephiroth awkwardly sharing the back seat. Sephiroth couldn't help but feel betrayed when he and  Angeal locked eyes in the rear view mirror, Then he, helplessly, watched as Angeal reached for and pressed the button that raised the darkened, bullet-proof, and sound-proofed glass between the front and back of the car.<br/>
<br/>
The last thing Sephiroth saw of the front was Hewley’s  smug, mischievous, grin in the rear view. “I should have killed that man when I had the chance” Sephiroth grumbled<br/>
<br/>
“Me too…” came the response after a moment.  Cloud was sitting stiffly in his seat. Keeping his eyes forward “I’m sure this will stop being awkward soon”<br/>
<br/>
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but even Angeal will tell you I make things awkward all the time” Sephiroth commented. “Even in the most easy situations I can find a way.”<br/>
<br/>
There was another long pause “...yeah, me too, maybe our awkwardness can cancel one another out?”<br/>
<br/>
“Or combine to increase our power,”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud snorted “then surely it's a good thing we are Mates. We could rule the world together”<br/>
<br/>
“Ah, yes, let us rule the world by making everyone around us slightly uncomfortable” they grinned at one another, Sephiroth reclined a little further in the soft leather, his long legs folded neatly. There was another long beat of silence between them both as they stared out of their respective windows at Sector five as it passed them by.<br/>
<br/>
Sephiroth still felt utterly exhausted and aching, he expected he would feel this way for a few days at least even after Cloud and Aeriths healing, the strain and tensions in his body had simply gone on far too long. He was thankful he was at least on leave from duty for a little while longer. Perhaps the retaking of Kalm will go smoother now his head is clearer. He let his mind drift through the possibilities, battle plans and the like.<br/>
<br/>
But his mind seemed to drift back to Cloud. If he was redeployed he would be separated from the Omega for an extended period. The Alpha fidgeted, suddenly uncomfortable with the idea. He used to welcome the escape from the City. had that been him.. Or the Falling?<br/>
He bit his bottom lip nervously. What Else about himself would change now?<br/>
<br/>
Sephiroth felt a squeeze around his hand and looked over. To find Cloud had grabbed his hand and was holding it between them<br/>
“I can feel how conflicted you are” Cloud said his cheeks were red. Was he embarrassed?<br/>
<br/>
“I am unsure what to expect. I do not like uncertainty.” Sephiroth replied after a long moment, he let himself relax and enjoy the simple touch between them, he absently let his fingers trace patterns on Clouds hands and allowed Cloud to do the same. It was like they were studying one another. Learning the pieces that made up the whole.<br/>
<br/>
“You wanted to Join SOLDIER?” Sephiroth asked looking over to Cloud again<br/>
<br/>
The Omega nodded “since I was a Kid, yeah. After our parents died, Rufus was too busy doing presidential stuff. I was left with Angeal, Genesis and Zack a lot”<br/>
<br/>
Sephiroth said nothing, he had heard about the former presidents and his wife's untimely end. It was sudden and had rocked the whole of Midgar. there had been a whole year of grieving and even now the city hadn’t fully recovered from the loss.<br/>
The Shinra-Strife family had been a pillar of the city for nearly two centuries. The president had been beloved.<br/>
<br/>
“I would be allowed to watch when Angeal trained Zack, and eventually I asked if I could join in. I love sparing” Cloud continued<br/>
<br/>
Sephiroths smiled “I would like to train with you sometime then.”<br/>
<br/>
“You're not worried about being bested by an Omega?” Cloud teased.<br/>
<br/>
Sephiroth hummed and thought a moment, “no. I am confident in my abilities.” he said with a grin “but you’re not just an Omega, you're my Mate, and if  what Angeal said is true and we are made for one another completely, it maybe you are the only person who could ever best me in combat”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud grinned his eyes sparkling. “I could kick your ass” he said smugly after looking Sephiroth up and down,<br/>
<br/>
the Alpha huffed a laugh “The second I feel up to it I would very much like you to prove it”<br/>
<br/>
“Still in pain?”<br/>
<br/>
“Just aching. Tired mostly” he admitted. He watched Cloud study him for a long while, and wondered what the Omega was thinking.<br/>
He was given an answer a few moments later when Cloud unbuckled his seat belt and scooted closer. He seemed unsure at first but when Sephiroth made no move to stop him Cloud got closer, still holding  the Alphas hand as he did until they were pushed up against one another, Cloud fit perfectly with his head resting on Sephiroth's shoulder.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
“Sorry” Cloud mumbled “I’ve had this itch all day. Just to be close to you, as close as i can”<br/>
Sephiroth said nothing, but he moved to get more comfortable. And wrap an arm around Cloud pushing his face into blonde hair and sighing contentedly.<br/>
<br/>
“Aerith said this is natural. That our bodies want to get to know one another too. Scent. Touch. That sort of thing” Cloud continued on, his hand reaching up to idly play with  Sephiroth's uniform. “It's still weird though, weird how.. Erm”<br/>
<br/>
“-Comfortable it is.” Sephiroth finished “I believe it is merely nature taking over but we are fundamentally logical creatures” he let his hand trail down Clouds body to finally rest on his hip experimentally. “We are trying to put our logical reasoning into base nature. We are used to the idea of dating first, slowly growing a relationship to comfortable levels. This level of initimsy, so soon after meeting, is unnerving, but we can’t really stop.  I find it very difficult to even want to stop and I am not usually one for casual touch or intimacy.”<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
“I wont.. Do anything you don’t like… please tell me if you want me to stop or stay away” Cloud said looking up into Sephiroth's eyes.<br/>
Sephiroth smiled down at Cloud, feeling a warmth creep further into his heart than it already had.<br/>
<br/>
“Surely that is my line?”<br/>
<br/>
“Can’t it be both of ours?”<br/>
<br/>
“I suppose. But as I said. I don’t want this to stop, not yet. I feel comfort with you this close and I am thankful for the privacy, I do not know when we will get another chance” Sephiroth spoke while he nuzzled into Clouds hair, soaking in the Omegas scent, bathing himself in it.<br/>
<br/>
“Should we thank Angeal for putting the dividing glass up then?” Cloud asked with a chuckle<br/>
<br/>
“Absolutely not”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud laughed harder at the response and settled back against Sephiroth entirely, letting more silence, comfortable silence fill space. He could feel Sephiroths hand  on his body, one  stroking his hip, the other was in his hair, tangling in his blond locks.<br/>
He couldn't help but reciprocate, his body demanded it; Cloud turned his body inward to Sephiroth and put his hand on the Alphas chest.<br/>
<br/>
He could feel the thumping of his Mates heart, and the warmth radiating off him.<br/>
It was bliss. Before long the Omega was dozing against the Alpha.<br/>
<br/>
Sephiroth was alone with his thoughts for a dangerously long time, at first he simply relished in the feeling of being so utterly relaxed, holding his Mate, his Omega.<br/>
<br/>
Then his mind went over the Days events. And he realized what having a Mate meant like he hadn't crossed his mind before; They were tied together, he had to look out for Cloud, to comfort him and care for him to entertain him, how could they love one another after the start they had, how could they have children? Sephiroth had never been with anyone, his father had barely even held him as a child and he never had a mother that he knew. The closest he had come to anything intimate was his friendship with Angeal and Genesis. He liked being alone. He liked his quiet, His routines. All that would have to change. He didn’t like change...<br/>
<br/>
They also had to contend with the rest of the world, the law was against them, Clouds own family would be against them. If they were caught- Sephiroth himself had been an executioner of Alphas that overstepped the laws regarding Omegas. How many of them had been with their own one true mate and he had been the instrument that tore them apart?<br/>
Guilt washed over Sephiroth, and he hugged Cloud tighter.<br/>
<br/>
A new rush of scent from his Omega filled his nose and he breathed it in like he was gasping for air, and just like that he calmed again.<br/>
<br/>
There was no use worrying about it. It was what it was. They were together now and no amount of antisocial panic could change that. He had to be strong for Cloud, after all, the Omega was giving up his greatest dream to be with him. He could do this…<br/>
<br/>
Cloud woke up shortly before they arrived at the Shinra Tower.  He yawned and stretched and snuggled in closer to Sephiroth.<br/>
“We will be home soon” Sephiroths vibrated through his smaller body. “We need to straighten our clothes, and you need to get back on your side of the car”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud groaned. Sephiroth was right. They couldn't be seen like this....<br/>
“It's not fair,” he grumbled. Sephiroth smiled down at Cloud<br/>
<br/>
“Its not. But I promise that we can find time to cuddle later”<br/>
<br/>
“I’ll hold you to that” Cloud said as he pulled back with another stretch. He scooted back to his side of the car just in time for Angeal to pull down the dividing black out window again.<br/>
<br/>
“Looks like we have a welcome Party” He said, Cloud leaned forward to peer past his Teacher, sure enough Rufus and Tseng were in the parking Garage.<br/>
<br/>
“I Had Kunsel phone a head to let them know you were on your way back” Angeal explained. “Rufus is very interested in how you were able to remove the storm entirely, so suddenly.”<br/>
<br/>
“I count five Turks. Not including Tseng” Kunsel said. “No, wait… Six, there is one in cover behind that Jeep”<br/>
<br/>
“Do you think they plan to arrest you all?” Cloud asked<br/>
<br/>
“I’d like to see them try,” Sephiroth said from the back, his voice a deep growl that had the other two Alphas in the car straighten their backs. Looking tense.<br/>
<br/>
“Seph” Angeal said in a gentle voice “if you radiate Alpha aggression they will have more questions than we have answers”<br/>
<br/>
Sephiroth said nothing, but the icy tension in the car lessened. Angeal carried on as he pulled up in a space in the parking lot “they won't arrest us. Remember as far as Rufus knows Kunsel was escorting you to a meditation spot. Sephiroth and I were on patrol. We met up. Gave you a lift back. That's all”<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Cloud took a moment to check himself over as the pulled up. He knew there was nothing on him to show what had happened that day. Besides Sephiroths scent. But Betas' sense of smell wasn’t that great and if they did catch it they had the excuse that they were in the back of the car together at least.<br/>
The Omega jumped a little when the door opened beside him and he saw Tseng smiling down at him, then before he could even step out his whole vision was filled with his brother, the current President didn't even wait for Cloud to stand.<br/>
Rufus pulled Cloud to him and into an unexpected hug<br/>
<br/>
“AHA!” The beta was jubilant “how did you do it!? How are you feeling? What happened?!” he said, pulling away enough to look Cloud up and down.<br/>
“We saw the clouds part overheard hours ago, and heard nothing until the Lieutenant called I was worried, I nearly sent Tseng out with his men”<br/>
<br/>
“I almost sent them out anyway” Tseng’s smooth voice cut in “perhaps we should have this conversion upstairs?” Rufus looked up to his Husband and back to his brother and nodded.<br/>
<br/>
“I agree, if you are ready, Cloud” he looked over to the three Alphas “all of you as well. I want a full report right away, so we can make an official statement to the public.”<br/>
<br/>
“A statement?” Cloud asked<br/>
<br/>
“People have had questions since the first Maelstrom. Tseng has worked tirelessly to keep the most prying of journalists away from you and I have answered as many questions as I can. But now the skies are clear we must make a formal address to all of Midgar- no. <em> you </em> need to make an address, Cloud. It is well past time.” Rufus said with all the authority of the President. “You missed your presentation ceremony. so this will have to do.”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and looked around to the others, to Sephiroth. The Alpha only nodded, keeping his face passive and professional.<br/>
It stung, but Cloud knew they could give nothing away, not yet. He swallowed again and looked back to Rufus.<br/>
<br/>
“Okay.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I want to apologize for the long wait between chapters. I have been very busy with work and then very ill (thankfully not Covid)<br/>originally this Chapter was going to be much longer and dive deeper into Sephiroths side of things but that will have to wait till next time.<br/>but a lot of his thoughts in this chapter are borrowed from my own experiences. as an Autistic when I first started the Relationship I am in now. it was very difficult to adjust to having someone else, so close, in my life. when I was away from him I would panic  and over think things about the impact he had on my life but when he was near I would completely relax and forget about what I was so worried about. :)</p><p>I hope you are enjoying so far. I love reading comments! thank you all so much.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Its good to be back...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sephiroth watched Cloud surreptitiously for the entire journey up the tower, always staying a step behind and slightly to the side, he was pleasantly surprised how calm the Omega was,<br/>
He only half listened to the conversation the Blonde was having with his brother and Tseng, Cloud didn’t give away anything, didn’t even look Sephiroths way.</p><p>On one hand he was proud that Cloud was able to be so professional, on another it irritated him. A primal, needy Alpha part of him wanted all of Clouds attention in that moment, it wanted to explore their new bond, it wanted to learn all the little bits about its Mate and it wanted to do it away from others. </p><p>Sephiroth cleared his throat and focused his gaze forward, he had managed to control the...Parasite for nearly a year or more, he could control his own primal needs, and could do so far more easily. He would get time with his Mate but first… he needed time for himself.</p><p>He stood silently mostly while Cloud explained to Rufus what had happened. <br/>
He admitted that yes, he had been sneaking out with Angeals approval, with Zack and Kunsel as his bodyguards. He made no mention of Aerith.</p><p>Cloud wove together a story that wasn’t entirely untrue, he had found some information about how he could better control his powers, but needed a place closely in touch with the lifestream to do it, once he found it; the Church, Cloud had dedicated his time to meditate and form a bond with the stream, and get in touch with past Omega to figure out how he could control his blossoming power after the fright he had had when the Silver Garrison returned. Eventually learning to control the storm.</p><p>Rufus seemed to buy it instantly, nodding along his expression one of immense pride in his little brother. Tseng however, was ever skeptical and questioned Cloud</p><p>“These Past Omega… they taught you to control your power?” he asked while he made notes “was it verbal or…”</p><p>“It was like…. Images in my head.” Cloud answered coolly “all disjointed, like a weird dream I had to put it together” he explained like how Aerith had explained it to him</p><p>“Surely other Omega, living Omega could have taught you?”</p><p>“I’m not sure. I mean it wasn’t a single Omega but countless generations of Omega”</p><p>“I see, so you were able to tap into a kind of genetic memory.” Tseng said thoughtfully “I have never heard of that before… your parents surely did not have this power”</p><p>“Or they did and were unaware of it” Angeal offered “Omega are the most mysterious of our race, I’m sure they are capable of many things we will never even dream of”</p><p>Rufus looked to Tseng who seemed satisfied, no doubt he would do his own research on the matter, Rufus then looked to Sephiroth<br/>
“And what of you General? Were you part of this little conspiracy as well?”</p><p>Sephiroth shook his head “I had guessed that the storm had something to do with my Garrisons return, and started my own investigation on the matter, I merely got lucky and crossed paths with Angeal at the right time.” he shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest “I wasn’t aware of any of what was happening until after, but I did witness Clouds power with my own eyes. I’m sure with more training he has the potential of becoming the most powerful omega that has ever lived”</p><p>Cloud turned to look up at Sephiroth, his eyes shining “don’t let it go to your head” the General continued “your actions put yourself at significant risk, and endangered many lives from start to finish” he chastised, keeping his voice level and cold.</p><p>“You should never have gone out in the first place, but in doing so… we have made a significant stride towards further rejuvenation of our world”</p><p>“What do you suggest we do next General?” Tseng asked him, and Sephiroth could barely contain the fanged grin.</p><p>“I would like to take over the security of our Future president, my men are on leave anyway for a few more weeks, and it may be that in order for Cloud to unlock more of his power he may need to travel to other areas of the world with a close tie to the lifestream, in which case he would require more intense training in self defense, which I can also provide” he made sure to sound like his usual cold self, as if the new role he was setting up for himself was nothing, or even slightly irksome for him to take time out of his day to do.</p><p>Sephiroth could see Angeal in the corner of his vision, barely containing his amused smirk, and from the other side he could see Cloud, looking more irate by the second.</p><p>Rufus seemed delighted by the outcome, it seemed everything he could want for Cloud was coming true, and all his worries were eased at once. <br/>
“I will allow it.” he said easily “however, if it is as you believe and our Omega needs to travel the world to unlock more power, I will need proof he can truly handle himself”</p><p>“I’m right here!” Cloud grumbled </p><p>“Yes and you barely handled a lone monster, and couldn’t even kill it” Tseng answered, Cloud flinched</p><p>“Precisely. Sephiroth if you are sure about this then.. You have a month of training to begin with, if he can hold his own against you for… lets say five minutes I’ll allow him to travel to Kalm and back. then we can talk about other adventures later. Happy?” Rufus grinned</p><p>“Yes”</p><p>“No” Cloud pouted </p><p>“No? This is what you wanted is it not” Rufus asked him</p><p>“I <em>wanted</em>  to join SOLDIER-.”</p><p>“Out of the question” Rufus interrupted </p><p>“-Instead it feels like my own ideas are being taken from me and being child proofed then handed back”</p><p>“Would you rather be locked in the tower? This is the best you are going to get little brother, the best training from Sephiroth, you get to leave the city, provided you prove yourself.”</p><p>Cloud grumbled but said nothing</p><p>“I’m starting to think you merely enjoy complaining” </p><p>The rest of the meeting continued without any incident, Rufus would write up a speech for Cloud to make to the city  and Cloud gets to rest before his new training begins.<br/>
The meeting was adjourned and the three Alphas and the Omega stepped into the Elevator back to their respective floors. They all slouched and sighed </p><p>“Tseng really wanted to find a hole in the story, did you see him? He was taking turns just bruning his gaze into each of  our skulls. I swear sometimes that Man can read minds” Kunsel said removing his helmet to wipe aware the sweat underneath. </p><p>“It's his job to find the cracks and search for answers” Sephiroth said with a shrug “you all performed well." He felt something hard thump into his side and looked down to see Cloud had hit him.</p><p>“You could at least react!” the Blonde grumbled</p><p>“My apologies,. ...ow” he said blandly then, after he was thumped a second time he asked “why are you hitting me?”</p><p>“Your whole idea wasn’t part of the plan, did you make it up on the spot?!” Cloud said </p><p>“Indeed, I think it turned out rather well”</p><p>“It was dangerous if Tseng figured it out..”</p><p>“He didn’t and he wont,  think of it this way; You get to go out, and we get to spend more time getting to know one another” </p><p>“I can leave the city, only l if i last against you in a fight”</p><p>“I seem to remember you saying you could ‘kick my ass’ in the car ride here”</p><p>Angeal and Kunsel snorted <br/>
“I think this will go very well indeed” Angeal said as the doors opened to Clouds personal floor Sephiroth put his hand on the door frame, preventing it from closing as Cloud stepped out<br/>
“Be up sharply tomorrow morning, regular recruits are up by six and at the training grounds by six- thirty. You, Cloud, will be up at five and on my floor and personal training room by five thirty we shall have breakfast and be doing basic stretching and endurance tests by six” Sephiroth said matter of factly.</p><p>Cloud paled “gods above.. Is this.. Is this going to be the rest of our lives?”</p><p>Sephiroth smiled, almost sinisterly, with his perfectly white fangs on display </p><p>“Yes”</p><p>He let the door close on the indignant looking Omega.</p><p>After a beat Sephiroth snorted a chuckle and the other two Alphas joined him</p><p>“must you torment the lad?” Angeal said as he wiped a tear from his eye</p><p>“I want to see if he is truly up to the task. However, honestly… he doesn’t need to prove anything to me”</p><p>“We don’t tell him that though?” Kunsel asked</p><p>“Absolutely not”</p><p>“It's good to see you back as more of yourself my Friend” Angeal smiled</p><p>“It's good to feel more myself.. I am.. Sorry for what has happened” Angeal waved his hand dismissively </p><p>“It could happen to anyone. It does happen to anyone. You are merely the luckiest Alpha in Midgar right now.”</p><p>“I…don’t mean to speak out of turn, as your subordinate, but as Clouds friend.. Take care of him” Kunself said softly</p><p>“You act like we are already in a relationship?”</p><p>“You are... You’re his mate. You saw how Zack and Aerith were together and they have known each other for less than a month” Kunsel rubbed the back of his head and put his helmet back on “besides, I see how you look at him already sir.”</p><p>Sephiroth looked aware from Kunsel, doing his best to hide the subtle colour that had reached his cheeks. It was true, he could hardly keep his eyes from Cloud. He hadn’t realised anyone had noticed however. </p><p>“In the car, we discussed how what we are feeling is, currently, Merely base nature, and that it is useless fighting it in fact I believe it would be detrimental to both of us to do so… however as for.. A relationship we will not be .. I would…”</p><p>“You want to be his friend?” Angeal supplied </p><p>“Yes” the door opened to the Generals floor and both Angeal and Sephiroth stepped out<br/>
“Your concern for Cloud is noted Lieutenant Freeman” Sephiroth continued, talking as if they were more official in case anyone heard <br/>
“And I will do all in my power to keep him safe and his needs cared for”</p><p>“Thank you sir”</p><p>The door closed and Sephiroth sighed, rubbing his temple. </p><p>“I think you need a long nap” Angeal said</p><p>“I’m inclined to agree”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sorry about the wait guys!</p><p>a lot has happened irl since the last chapter.<br/>I was fired from my job and had a miscarriage the very next day, then Christmas happened and then my uncle died of Covid. to say my life has sucked would be an understatement.<br/>basically..  writing was not on the list of things I wanted to do. I have spent most of my time in bed since the last chapter. I felt awful though because I really want to finish this story and I went from a quick succession of updates to a few updates to none very quickly.<br/>I'm getting support I need right now though and I went back to read my own story and all your amazing wonderful and supportive comments.<br/>they really lifted  my spirits and inspired me. Hopefully I will have another chapter out soon I think I will try for at least 1 a week or every other week while I get back into the groove.<br/>thank you all again, for being so lovely and patient with me and I hope this small update is enough of an apology for the wait.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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